June 26, 2015
AGMK to invest US$101m to expand copper mine. 2
Uzbekistan destroys 1.4 tonnes of narcotics. 2
Uzbekistan presents national report on biodiversity. 3
Uzbektourism holds preparations to TITF-2015. 5
investments
AGMK to invest US$101 mln. to expand copper mine
Almalyk Mining and Metallurgy Combine (AGMK) will invest US$101.1 million in 2015-2016 to involvement of off-balance ores of Kalmakyr mine to processing. Kalmakyr is the main raw base of the plant, the source of the company said to RIA Novosti.
The company completed development of the feasibility study of the projects and will start to introduce of heap leaching process, which is the most effective technology for copper recovery, the source said to the agency.
During realization of the project by 2017, the combine will be additionally process 4 million tonnes of ore. The project will allow to increase copper production by 3-4% in short-term perspective.
The project will be financed due to the loan of the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan for US$41.3 million, loans of the Uzbek banks – US$40.3 million and own resources of AGMK – US$19.4 million.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
Society
Uzbekistan destroys 1.4 tonnes of narcotics
On 25 June 2015, law enforcement bodies of Uzbekistan destroyed over 1.4 tonnes of drugs, which were seized from illegal turnover.
The event was dedicated to the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which is marked on 26 June.
At the blast-furnace of one of Tashkent enterprises, some 133.3 kg of heroin, 775 kg of opium and 309 kg of marihuana, 93.32 kg of hashish, as well as large volume of poppy straws, hemp, psychotropic medicaments.
According to National information-analytical center on control over drugs under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan, law enforcement bodies seized 2.298 tonnes of narcotics in 2014.
About 6,698 cases related to illegal drug turnover were recorded in Uzbekistan in 2014 (7,680 cases in 2013). The release noted that 607 cases (623 in 2013) are related to drug smuggling, 1,320 cases (1,491) – illegal growing of narcotic plants and 1,709 (1,794) – other drug related crimes.
According to official data, Uzbekistan has destroyed over 54 tonnes of drugs since 1994.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
EDUCATION
Ahead of Diploma Awards
About half a million Uzbekistanis graduating from professional colleges, academic lyceums and higher educational establishments of the country will soon become certified specialists and full-fledged members of the labor market.
In Colleges
Production qualifying internships, which were held within the framework of tripartite agreements concluded between students, employers and colleges, have eventually completed at all professional colleges.
Thus, for example, the Samarqand professional college of food industry has been cooperating for many years with the ‘Sino’ Share-Holding company, a producer of household refrigerators. The company allocated a special room for H&S briefings and discussion of tasks. Having gone through those lectures the students learn to implement their theoretical knowledge into practice under the guidance of experienced specialists. Upon completion of internship the best students are offered jobs with the company.
The state attestation and defense of diploma works will start as of June 20 at the lyceums and colleges. Currently the majority of colleges prefer namely preparation for and defense of diploma works since such an approach enables a graduate to focus on the solution of a concrete task.
Diplomas will be issued and presented by the Center of Secondary special and professional education to their owners by the 10th of July. As surveys indicate the majority of graduates prefer to enroll at higher educational institutions rather than find jobs.
In the Baccalaureate
Qualifying works of college and baccalaureate graduates, according to specialists, differ only in the level of the difficulty of their topics. By the way, defense of graduate qualifying works at higher educational institutions also coming to an end.
“In preparing their work students make wider use of Internet as well as analytical materials and reviews of research works from journals and magazines published both by national and foreign specialists. This provides an opportunity to get more information and knowledge on the subject elaborated and make the diploma work more meaningful,” noted deputy Head of the Main Board of higher educational establishments of the Ministry of Higher and Special Secondary Education Barno Rajabov.
The specialist has also underscored that in recent years dominate topics of scientific-practical nature, which are agreed with potential employers, organizations and establishments. Many qualifying works are made in the form of authors’ projects, which may easily be realized into life.
Quality of performance keeps increasing from year to year, especially those presented by students engaged in research and academic activities. They combine strong theoretical and experimental parts with much input of analytical material. Incidentally, many of them are used by the authors as the basis of their subsequent masters’ dissertations, which are then growing up into doctoral dissertations.
In the Master’s courses
The appearance of masters’ dissertation has changed in recent years, which is related to the consolidation of the role of Master’s Degree courses in the system of training doctors of sciences. This is the result of research work, which a student had taken part in while studying at Master’s level and written under the guidance of a specialist with an academic degree.
To make sure that training of personnel in the magistrature run in unison with training of specialists, the institute of senior researchers has an agreed list of topics which comply with the Government research and practical programs, i.e. from the very beginning they offer orientation to the solution of urgent knowledge-intensive tasks for development of production.
To date all graduates of Master’s courses have not less than two scientific articles and theses on their topics, comment of their academic advisor, critical review of an internal and external reviewers, which only serve to confirm the high level of organization of research activity in the Master’s courses.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Ecology
Uzbekistan presents national report on biodiversity
The presentation of national experts “The Fifth National Report of the Republic of Uzbekistan on the Conservation of Biodiversity” which took place at the last environment week of the country became a significant contribution to the environment protection. The document was prepared with the support of UN specialized agencies associated with the implementation of the project on planning in the field of biodiversity by the State Committee for Nature Protection of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Project manager Irina Bekmirzaeva answered the questions of the journalist of «UzReport» news agency about the significance of this document and the unique natural resources of the republic represented in it.
– What does Uzbekistan possess?
– A kind of inventory showed – people of our country began to take good care of natural resources – entered a conversation Irina Melsovna. – We clarified what resources the country possesses and are now able to report back to the international community in the form of a report of the Convention on Biological Diversity. Uzbekistan joined it in 1995, together with the whole world community and has been successfully cooperating for the conservation of wildlife resources.
So, biodiversity of Uzbekistan includes more than 27,000 species. Among them animals amount to 15 thousand species, including 107 species – mammals, 460 – birds, 60 – reptiles, 84 – fish, 3 – amphibians. The total number of kinds of plants, fungi and algae exceeds 10 million, out of which according to expert estimates the share of higher plants accounts for 4300 species.
This is what we need to save so that we could continue to live in a stable environment ourselves as well as our children.
– How could such rich variety of representatives of flora and fauna gather on our ancient land?
-Scientists attribute this to a particular geographical location. The country is diverse in natural environment and is at the junction of several biogeographic provinces. Typical ecosystems are deserts, mountain steppes, forests, meadows and the forest undergrowth bordering rivers, numerous lakes and cultural landscapes. Fauna inhabiting these areas differs by ancient and complex genetic links. A great place is occupied by animals and plants from Indo-China, the Mediterranean, and the steppes of Eurasia who penetrated in ancient times.
– What are the threats to biodiversity?
– Direct threats to biodiversity around the world, including in Uzbekistan, as a rule, are related to socio-economic factors. For example, population growth is associated with increased nutritional needs, corresponding expansion of agricultural land and buildings, intensification of land use, the total capacity of consumption and, consequently, increased degradation of natural resources.
Anthropogenic factors have a negative impact on virtually all natural ecosystems in the country. The plains, foothills, aquatic and wetland ecosystems, especially in the lower reaches of major rivers, including the area of the Aral Sea and the Aral Sea region are prone to the biggest changes. Reduction and significant transformation of natural habitat types possess the main threat to biodiversity. Rare and endangered species are most likely to be in the most vulnerable position.
Due to recent changes Asiatic cheetah and Turan tiger have disappeared, Turkmen caracal, Turkmen Kulan, Saiga antelope and others are endangered species.
– What do we preserve?
– At present, the priority is to protect the species that are threatened with global extinction, and species for which the territory of Uzbekistan has become a significant part of the habitat of the world’s population. The priority is also to protect species subject to significant anthropogenic impact in the country, as well as those on which Uzbekistan has signed international agreements and memoranda.
Among mammals such species include the snow leopard, Central Asian otter, Corsac fox, rotary wing goat, ustyurt sheep, Bukhara mountain sheep, Severtsov sheep, Saiga antelope, and groundhog marmot.
Among the birds – Dalmatian pelican, red-breasted goose, white-fronted goose, marbled teal, scoop, vulture, saker falcon, white crane, chinned bracket.
In addition, special attention should be paid to the species that are not threatened with global extinction, but those who may disappear in the country because of human impact.
The different categories of rare and endangered species made up 207 animal species and subspecies, out of which 184 are placed in the Red Book of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
Many species were found only in certain isolated areas. This applies, for example, to typical types of dry foothill steppes, such as Corsac fox, steppe polecat, steppe cat, tolai hare, yellow gopher, small and great jerboa.
Many species of endemic plants, which cannot be found anywhere else in the world are also under threat of extinction. In this group an important place is occupied by representatives of the tulips, onions, Eremurus, astragalus and others. The value of this natural treasure is difficult to overestimate. It is worth recalling that exported tulips from Uzbekistan to Holland in the 20s of last century were used by gardeners to create the country’s large-scale production of this kind of flowers. Now the Dutch tulips are delivered to all parts of the planet. It must be emphasized that many species among domestic plants also have medicinal and nutritional value.
Uzbekistan is one of the centers of origin of cultivated plants. Hence their spread around the world began with trade caravans. Seeds and cuttings were also exported by travelers and conquerors. More than 60 species of fertile crops grow on our ancient land. They were created by people’s talent and work of breeders. Among these crops are grapes, apricots, pistachios, almonds, walnuts. The latter, for example, was taken by Alexander the Great during his eastern campaign, and then was spread throughout the Mediterranean and received the name corresponding to his second native land.
Today, we cannot forget the folk varieties and their wild relatives – a unique source of genetic material for plant breeders. In recent decades local varieties have been replaced by highly productive importations. At the same time, they lost typical qualities of local varieties such as flavoring properties, weight, degree of utility for a person or pet, resistance to pests and diseases, fluctuations in weather conditions,
– Based on what has been said in our conversation, – said Irina Bekmirzaeva – it is obvious that our country, thanks to its unique nature and the ongoing work on its preservation, has an exceptional opportunity not only to preserve biodiversity, but to multiply it and to provide a decent life for its population due to the unique resources.
(Source: UzReport.uz)
Tourism
Uzbektourism holds preparations to TITF-2015
Uzbektourism is holding a preparation to the 21th Tashkent International Tourism Fair “Tourism on the Silk Road”, which will be held on 6-8 October 2015 in Tashkent.
Tourism on the Silk Road is one of the most anticipated events of the tourism industry of the Central Asian region. Thousands of professionals gather at one place, from Uzbekistan and all its regions, as well as, from all over the world.
Annually, the fair annually attracts participants from 30 countries, 780 tourism companies and over 12,000 guests and visitors.
Within the exhibition, it is planned to hold wine festival, oriental bazaar with master classes, national cuisine festival and UNWTO conference on world tourism trends.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
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