July 9, 2014
Turkish Foreign Minister to visit Uzbekistan. 2
regions : republik of karakalpakistan.. 2
We have ambitious plans, but they are realistic.2
Uzbekistan welcomed as full member of IRB.. 10
International cooperation
Turkish Foreign Minister to visit Uzbekistan
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu will arrive in Uzbekistan with an official visit on 10 July 2014, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek ministry said that the bilateral meetings and negotiations will be held in Tashkent within the visit, during which the sides will discuss current state and perspectives of the Uzbek-Turkish relations, actual international and regional issues.
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov will receive Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey Ahmet Davutoğlu.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
regions : republik of karakalpakistan
We have ambitious plans, but they are realistic.
Neither I nor my generation could ever see the Aral Sea in its full splendor. I remember I had read about its beauty from one of enthusiastic writers: ‘the blue color is so unusual’. The sea has backed hundreds kilometers off its shores, as if dissolving beyond the horizon of years. However, there are the people on this land. Kind and hospitable, they build houses, develop agriculture and industry, build families, and raise children.
I was lucky to visit the capital of Karakalpakstan for three times over the past five years. Yet, I come here every time expecting something new, and Nukus is getting prettier before my eyes. There are modern high-rise residential and office buildings; tower cranes on construction sites have become a familiar urban landscape.
There is a special atmosphere on the streets and avenues of Nukus, which is inherent solely to this city. It is one of the cleanest and greenest in Uzbekistan. Young trees curl along broad and spacious streets, roads and sidewalks, serving as a shield from the scorching hot sun. There is no abundance of ads and screaming signage on buildings. They are fairly modest, unobtrusive, making it easy for a visitor to orientate himself.
The majority of regional centers and towns of the country try on a unique color of the capital. Modern air-conditioned offices, industrial enterprises, farms run their routine work. Each resident on the workplace contributes to the development of socio-economic infrastructure of the region.
Karakalpakstan is populated by more than 1.7 million people. Largely owing to the government’s support and people’s diligence, the total area of 165.6 square kilometers with difficult climatic conditions is turning into a region with developed agriculture and industry. In recent years it has achieved a steady gross regional product growth by an average of 9-10%.
As informed in the Ministry of Economy, farmers grow rich crops of cotton and corn and cover the republic’s needs in key agricultural products – meat, milk, eggs, vegetables and fruits. However, it still has to import potatoes and grapes. Meanwhile, the issue will be addressed in the near future through the active application of modern research products.
Intensification of agricultural product processing is a current priority. The increase of its volumes contributes to building a large feedstock base for the production of various canned and semi-finished products that might be in demand beyond the region as well.
Boost of small and private entrepreneurship has drastically changed the situation on saturating the domestic market with the products in demand. For example, it is hard to imagine an absolute absence of furniture companies here a few years ago, so the furniture imported from other regions of the country was expensive. The boost of construction has conditioned an increase in demand for modern comfortable furniture. Today, local businesses are ready to meet people’s needs.
The Program of Socio-Economic Development of Karakalpakstan for 2014-2016 has been our ‘road map’,” said Deputy Minister of Economy of Karakalpakstan Davletbay Urazimbetov. “569 projects worth 18.7 billion soums have been implemented since the beginning of 2014. More than 1,610 jobs have been established. We have been assigning a special part to the service sector, and saturating the domestic market with demanded consumer goods. We focus on rural areas to ensure the availability of beauty salons, household maintenance services, studio, cafes with a wide range of dishes, and developed local transportation services in each village. Creating appropriate conditions for the residents, we fairly count on their motivated and creative work on the implementation of plans of economic development in general, and each company separately. I mean not only the establishment and progressive functioning of local small-scale enterprises, but implementation of large-scale projects on the establishment of big export-oriented industries. They include the second stage of Qonghirot Soda Plant, Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex at Surgil deposit, valued at over $4 billion. We plan to increase the extraction and processing of minerals, enhance tourism, much to be done for the further rational use of the desiccated Aral Sea. (Currency rates of CB from 08.07.2014 1$=2320.16 soums)
The plans are big, and only the people full of energy are capable to face the challenge. That is why public health is assigned a huge part. The large-scale reconstruction and overhaul of regional medical associations is nearing its completion. According to the First Deputy Minister of Health Kural Kamalov, reconstruction works have been completed in ten regional medical associations out of 13. Some additional buildings have been built as well. There are the conditions for quality medical service with the use of modern methods of diagnosis and treatment. This contributes to early detection and treatment of the most common diseases.
The staff is being trained in cooperation with Tashkent universities. There are branches of the Agricultural University, the Pediatric Medical Institute, the University of Information Technologies, as well as a department of the Chemical Engineering Institute. They provide the region with the professionals who are able to work in local special climatic conditions. There is the only branch of the National Institute of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan. Much attention is paid to strengthening the logistical base of local universities – Karakalpakstan State University, which is currently under reconstruction, and Nukus State Pedagogical Institute. They are mainly focused on training staff for general schools, vocational colleges and academic lyceums providing for compulsory 12-year education.
Karakalpakstan is the country’s only region where the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan has its affiliate and two research institutes – natural sciences and humanities. Researchers are actively involved in studying and preserving the rich tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the people of Karakalpakstan. The development of modern approaches of natural resource management and biodiversity conservation is their great merit.
Territory of the Future
Having overcome a thousand kilometers from Tashkent to Nukus, it would be wrong not to drive another couple of hundreds of kilometers to see the dried bottom of the Aral Sea and the largest coastal town of Muynak.
I have learned about the operation of biostations of the Academy of Sciences on the dried bottom of the former sea yet in Tashkent. So before going to the north edge of the region I visited the Karakalpakstan Research Institute of Natural Sciences, to which they belong. I obtained the information I needed, and found a fellow traveler. The Head of Muynak biostation Rapat Aymuratov was just getting ready to return to his workplace from Nukus.
Few of the drivers agreed to go from Nukus to Muynak, so I had to change in Qunghirot. We had a companion – an elderly woman with her granddaughter, who was returning home from the market. Their village locates a few dozens of kilometers closer than Muynak. After forty minutes by car under the scorching sun, the woman finally exhaled: “Here we are at home,” and asked the driver to drive them to the gate. When traveling through the streets, I paid attention to unusual reed fences, and, of course, a dusty country road. In other respects, it was a common village, although located on the seabed. It was exciting to see large solar panels supplying a building of a local committee and a rural health unit with electricity.
The fellow traveler told as follows: “In the sixties of the last century the waters of the Aral Sea splashed here. Our village is populated chiefly by former fishermen. The village was originated in the mid-seventies of the last century. The sea was stepping back, and we followed it. When we realized that we can not keep up with it any longer, we decided to stay here. To feed the family we got into cattle breeding and agriculture.”
The Muynakbiostation of the Karakalpakstan Research Institute of Natural Sciences is located on the bottom of the former Aral Sea. As proof, Rapat Aymuratov showed the remnants of algae found under almost three feet of salt marsh.
The biostation’s staff has been researching on regularities of formation of ecosystems on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea for 20 years. The research has no analogues in the world. Acclimatization and introduction of useful wild and cultivated plants as part of development of the dried seabed and improvement of ecosystems of the Aral Sea region is another area of the station’s activity. They have established a seed nursery for drought-salt-tolerant plants for phytomeliorative works.
“The studies show the possibility of growing a variety of vegetables and herbs on the dried sea bottom. The carrots grown to our technology are several times larger than usual, and they do not yield to those grown in the garden in their vitamin and mineral composition and taste. In the future, our know-how might be a source of stable income for the residents of the surrounding villages,” says Rapat Aymuratov. “We plan to create a nursery of rare and endangered medicinal plants for the preservation of their gene pool. We have already applied to the Committee for Coordination of Science and Technology under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan.”
We did not stay long at the biological station, as we were expected in Mo’ynoq. Twenty minutes later, I was already listening to stories about its past from its residents and studying the exposition of the local history museum at the recreation center. Like all tourists, I visited the monument to the Aral Sea with the rusted fishing vessels on the dry bottom.
Today the Muynakdistrict is populated by about 29 thousand people. Many of them parted with the profession of fisherman forever as the sea has dried. The governor of Muynakdistrict Kudaibergen Uteniyazov told about the local life:
“The water has backed 200-250 kilometers off. The MuynakFish Cannery, the flagship of the republic’s industry which used to employ more than ten thousand people, went bankrupt in 2000. However, life goes on.
Despite the fact that fishing is no longer the leading sector of the district’s economy, we remain one of the largest fish suppliers in Karakalpakstan. There are nine man-made reservoirs in the district. Farmers are engaged in breeding and catching fish. Step by step we are establishing a fish processing. For example, Amuaral Co Ltd. is producing frozen, dried, and smoked products. An entrepreneur from the Kazakhdaryo village procured the equipment and is going to produce canned fish.
Cattle breeding, poultry and vegetable farming have become the main occupations of the local population. Almost every family keeps cows, sheep, chicken, grows vegetables. We develop the service sector, and promote small businesses producing consumer goods. The dried bottom of the Aral Sea is explored for oil and gas. There is a gas compressor station.”
… We had a walk on the seabed. There was a time when ships routed there, fish was gaining weight. Today, the area of the dried and wetland bottom of the Aral Sea makes up more than 4 million hectares. Forest and tugai thickets have decreased ten fold. More than 300 species of plants, 35 species of birds, 23 species of animals and 11 species of fish have been listed in the Red Book of Uzbekistan.
Meanwhile, there is a tangible contribution by the International Fund for Saving the Aral Sea, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, forest economies, assistance of international financial organizations. The area that is now popularly called Aralkum, is planted by Haloxylon and other plants that anchor the sand and significantly reduce the amount of the wind-blown salt dust. Planted three or four years ago, young forests have already established a new ecosystem inhabited by representatives of the animal kingdom.
Some interesting activity is underway on the shore of the preserved sea surface. Engaged in research of natural resources and development of technologies for their further application, the Karakalpakstan Branch of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan and Karakalpakstan Research Institute of Natural Sciences are currently building another biological station here.
“In 1995, we supposed that the growing water salinity and disappearance of fish in the sea might lead to the origination of a crustacean of a brine shrimp. It was discovered in some three years, and in 2001 it predominated among the species of plankton animals in the Aral Sea. Brine shrimp eggs are of commercial value: they are used by fish and livestock farms as a feed. The ‘dying’ Aral Sea has started supplying the republic with a new chain of biological products,” says the Chairman of the Presidium of the Academy of Sciences of Karakalpakstan Branch, Doctor of Economics Nagmet Aimbetov. “In 2011, we began harvesting brine shrimp eggs, called cysts. The fishery in the Aral Sea has been run by five companies – three Chinese and two Uzbek. In 2013, we have registered the greatest yield – 51.5 tons. The Aral cysts are supplied to fish farms of the republic and exported to China and the United States. The seasonal work at fishery provides jobs to several dozens of Muynakresidents.
The new biological station will help to improve the ways of collecting, storage, primary processing and transportation of brine shrimp eggs, which is expected to increase the profitability of fishing and preserve the biodiversity,” told Nagmet Aimbetov.
Various development concepts for northern districts of the republic are currently being developed. The Karakalpakstan Research Institute of Natural Sciences has proposed one of the projects. It implies the further use of existing capacity of natural resources in the region. Researchers come up with two initiatives that should dramatically improve the situation in the region.
The first initiative is about creation of a new reservoir to be called Mejdurechie-Maypost with the capacity of 600 – 950 million cubic meters by combining the two water bodies of interfluves, located on both banks of the Amudaryo River. It will address the socio-economic and environmental problems of the Mo’ynoq district caused by the Aral crisis. It would make it possible to restore the fish economy in the region, reproduce and develop endemic populations of rare and endangered species of fish – Aral barbell, sturgeon and other species. The intensive introduction of advanced fishery technologies might make it possible that in the coming years the volumes of fish production in the Amudaryo delta reaches dozens thousands of tons per year. A stable source of water will allow the effective use of the surrounding fertile lands. In addition, the reservoir will provide water to populated areas of the region.
The second project implies the improvement of transport communication between the northern district and other localities. The existing railway of Karakalpakstan does not cover the most problematic areas. Therefore, the project envisages laying a railway line from Chimbay to Kazakhdaryo village through the regional center of Takhtakupyr district. Passing through the desert zones of Takhtakupyr and Karauzyak districts of tourist interest, the railway will open up new tourist routes. Travelers will get acquainted with Haloxylon plantations on the bottom of the Aral Sea, meet swans, pink flamingos, pelicans and other rare birds on the Sudoche Lake. Attractive scenery of Ustyurt canyons opens up from the train windows. There are many natural objects born by wind, sun and water, ancient burial mounds, mysterious caves and much more on the plateau. Besides, the railway will be a convenient transportation mean for the local population, and profitable for entrepreneurs. Its start-up would accelerate the economic and industrial development of the region.
Healthy Generation
Building the future on modern high technologies, people do not forget about their traditions and customs, culture and art. In order to train highly qualified specialists to deal with preserving and enhancing the spiritual and cultural heritage, the National Institute of Arts and Culture of Uzbekistan opened its branch in Nukus. The university is currently building a specialized academic lyceum.
Karakalpaks are a people with a rich history, distinct traditions and customs. They are optimistic and focused on achieving great goals for the development of their homeland and the whole Uzbekistan.
Like other regions of the country, Karakalpakstan assigns a big part to educating the comprehensively advanced and healthy young generation. For example, during the summer holidays more than three thousand boys and girls of the Aral Sea region have been traditionally provided with free passes to summer camps in Tashkent and Samarqand regions. The children, who stay at home, are taken care too. They are offered six children’s health camps in the picturesque corners of the republic, including Orol Bolalari (Children of the Aral Sea), one of the oldest in Ellikkala district.
“Founded in 1977, our camp was initially located on the Aral Sea shore in Muynakdistrict, closer to the 1990s it was moved to Takhtakupyr district, and in 1991 it was built in Ellikkala district of the Ohchakul lakeside in the area of most favorable natural climatic conditions. Today, the history of the camp is featured by the only ship on the waterfront, which we brought with us on the Amudaryo River,” says the director of the health camp Qurbonnazar Qalandarov. “We still receive children from different parts of Karakalpakstan, but most of them come from the settlements with severe climatic conditions. Over a thousand of schoolchildren improve their health here throughout the summer. Along with the cultural and recreational program, the camp program includes classes provided by representatives of various ministries and departments to expand children’s outlook, to optimally combine the useful with the pleasant.
Meanwhile, the school, academic lyceum and vocational college graduates face responsible cares: they are busy with preparations for entering educational institutions. The vocational training system in Karakalpakstan, like in the whole Uzbekistan, provides every boy and girl with a profession and specialty in demand, thus ensuring specialists for all sectors of the economy. New educational institutions have been opened over the recent years, and the existing ones were transformed. For example, based on the needs of the labor market, this year the Amudaryo Vocational College of Transport was transformed into the Amudaryo Vocational College of Transport and Services, and the Takhtakupyr Vocational College of Construction and Municipal Services – into Takhtakupyr Vocational College of Construction and Transportation.
There are academic institutions in Karakalpakstan, including branches of several research centers of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Economy. They play an important role in raising the fertility of saline lands, in the development of new highly efficient agricultural technologies of growing different fruits and vegetables, and industrial crops. The Karakalpakstan branch of the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, and particularly its Research Institute of Humanities, is important for the cultural life of the people as it specializes on the study and perpetuation of cultural values.
“Just the other day our researchers issued another collection of ‘Karakalpak Folklore’, and the album of traditional national dress ‘Karakalpak Dress’,” said the Director of the Research Institute of Humanities Makset Karlybaev. “Scientists continue processing the stock of priceless manuscripts and archaeological staff found during excavations of archaeological sites.”
In special climatic conditions, which are typical for the region, human health requires special protection. Therefore, the authorities pay special attention to the development and improvement of the system of mother and child health protection, as well as operation of health institutions.
Reconstruction of two regional medical associations, the national multidisciplinary medical center and oncology clinic, as well as TB and mental health services is underway,” said the First Deputy Minister of Health of the Republic of Karakalpakstan Kurol Kamalov. “We are listed among the first regions of Uzbekistan to receive medical equipment within the Health-3 project. District medical associations were provided with modern ultrasound scanners, X-ray and radiography devices, medical accessories. The new equipment is already in operation in Ellikkala district, and the rest is in the process of installation. The Republican Diversified Medical Center and other medical facilities expect new equipment in the near future.
“Sports have become the vital component of life of the younger generation. Dozens of modern sports facilities offering qualified trainers have been built across Karakalpakstan in recent years in order to bring up strong, agile, and healthy boys and girls. For example, the Nukus College of Olympic Reserve is headed by five-fold world champion in Thai boxing Erkin Kutibaev. The result is obvious. His students – track and field athletes, wrestlers, basketball players and gymnasts -annually win up to thirty medals at international and national competitions.
The living standard of the Karakalpakstan people has significantly increased. There is an increase in family income, and as a result, more people are buying TVs, washing machines, gas cookers, ovens microwave ovens, and other devices that facilitate domestic work. The volumes of transportation services, communication and information technologies are growing year by year. The number of stores with a wide variety of goods, beauty salons, maintenance and repair centers has notably increased both in urban and rural areas. Many families have own cars.
Fertile Land
“We are rehabilitating the orchard, which died as a result of the Aral Sea crisis, using the latest technologies like new varieties of trees and drip irrigation systems. We expect the first harvest for this year. Many gardens might be established by our example soon.”(From a conversation with Parohat Gulimov, the First Deputy Governor of Kegeyli District).
Despite the severe climatic conditions of the region, agriculture remains one of the main occupations of the local population. We learned about the farmers’ movement in Kegeyli district, where virtually all major kinds of agriculture for Karakalpakstan are well developed, except rice and fish farming.
“Our farmers are actively engaged in grain farming, animal husbandry, sericulture, cotton, melon and vegetable growing. We are currently reviving the horticulture,” said Parohat Gulimov.
The horticulture here is revived with the support of the German Federal Bureau for International Cooperation (GIZ). Six hectares of plums, apples, pears and other fruit trees of 14 varieties have yielded the first harvest this year. Such a variety is not accidental. This way specialists and farmers hope to see which one is best suited for the local conditions. The garden will differ from a traditional one by the drip irrigation system. The equipment has been already purchased and needs to be installed and launched. Drip irrigation is a farmer’s godsend in dry lands. Today the project is regarded as a pilot, but it is expected to serve as a new impetus for the development of horticulture not only in Kegeyli district, but all over the Karakalpakstan.
Farmers face a tough challenge of lack of water, hot climate and saline soils. However, even in such conditions the farming might be lucrative with the availability of skilled hands and experience. This is proved by the experience of one of the district’s largest farms ‘Integral Kegeyli’, which employs about 60 people. This year it enjoys a rich harvest of wheat. Its manager takes big efforts to achieve high yields of cotton too, which has occupied 116 hectares of land this year – twice as much as a grain. He expects a rich harvest from 15 hectares of melons as well.
The economy is managed by the promising young farmer Muhamedamin Sherniyazov. His father handed the economy over to him last year. The beginning manager has big plans. He has replenished the equipment fleet. He leased a domestically manufactured tractor. He has also established a manufacture of baked bricks.
“Modern technologies help to yield a good harvest, so each employee has a good income. After all, we hand out a part of the crop in addition to salary,” says Muhamedamin Sherniyazov. “We need the brick manufacture primarily to address social issues.”
Gathering and processing of licorice is another promising project for the economy’s development. It grows on the roadside of Sherniyazov’s fields, and even in arable lands. However, the farmer believes that it’s profitable to grow it in the field too. 70 percent of the licorice grown and processed in Uzbekistan is exported. The global food industry, pharmacological and cosmetic companies ‘consume’ it in huge amounts. Most importantly, licorice is a beautiful halophyte. The plant likes salt, so the weary saline soil recovers where it grows. Thus, it serves as a commercial product, and the means to combat salinity.
Kegeyli residents have made a worthy contribution to cocoon growing: they rank among the first to fulfill a contractual obligation. By the way, this year the silkworm breeders of Karakalpakstan have overfulfilled contractual obligations on selling cocoons to the state. This year farms have cultivated 14,000 boxes of silkworm eggs, so they provided 820.4 tons of high quality cocoons instead of 810 tons estimated under the contract.
A good half of the district population is engaged in animal husbandry. Almost every farm has cattle and small livestock, poultry. Large-scale farmers already process milk and meat and produce various kinds of foods. They are joined by others – many farms are projecting the establishment of mini-workshops, which would fill the local stores with new kinds of products.
A Night in a Yurt
“We were very surprised to find out we were going to live in a yurt at the Ayaz-Kala monument as we saw the map of our route. It turned out great. We explored its arrangement with interest. It turns out that each knot, fastening rods, has its value. The yurt is cool in hot weather, but not cold at night. We liked to be able to choose a convenient time for visiting archaeological sites, and spending as much time for that as we needed.”(Extract from a conversation with an Italian tourist Mario Bazeo)
Most ancient monuments are located a few kilometers from settlements. So travel companies that organize visits to those sites, arrange an overnight stay in a yurt at the monument – a traditional portable dwelling of nomads just a few meters from the site.
There are many archaeological sites here. There are really many. The Ayazkala fortress, dating the fourth-third centuries BC, is one of the most famous sites. It consists of three monuments represented by majestic ruins of old buildings. The Ayazkala ancient settlement is located on the flat top of the hill.
Another settlement received the code name Ayazkala-2, dated to the second half of the seventh – the beginning of the eighth century. Archaeologists found out that in the 13th century the fortress was partly used for housing. The list of other archaeological sites includes a temple observatory Koikyrylgankala, the archaeological and architectural monument Mizdahkan, the Topyrakkala settlement of the first-fourth century, big Guldursun fortress, Zhambaskala, and others.
Many tourists want to see the places where the Aral Sea splashed its waves. Travel companies are ready to offer such an opportunity. There are many options, including a trip to the remainder of the water body.
“The number of visitors, including foreign tourists, has been significantly growing in recent years, we even have to unfold some additional yurts,” said the local resident Makset Aimbetov as we have met him at the Aral Sea monument. “They usually stop for a night. They visit the sites associated with the sea, try the traditional cuisine of Karakalpakstan.”
Soon the Karakalpak land might become as promoted brand in the international tourism market as Samarqand, Bukhoro, Khiva.
Many people visit the Savitsky State Art Museum of the Republic of Karakalpakstan. It is well known abroad for its collections of works by artists of the twentieth century, masters of applied arts, ethnographic staff depicting the cultural identity of Karakalpak people. It is noteworthy that the museum’s exposition represents only three percent of its exhibits, and more of them will be available soon.
“The second and third stages of the museum are currently under construction,” says the Director Marinika Babanazarova. “The second building, which is the exact copy of the existing one, will also be an exhibition. Now one can see twice as many exhibits. The third building will be the repository of the museum’s stock, but if necessary, we will be able to introduce the visitors to our heritage.”
The Berdakh National Museum is another attraction in Nukus giving a chance to get in touch with the history of Karakalpak people, explore ethnographic materials, learn about the life and work of prominent figures of Karakalpakstan, see the works of national arts and crafts. A visit to the local musical drama and puppet theaters turns to be fascinating. The original centuries-old culture of the people can be best explored during public festivities on Navruz, Independence Day and other holidays. The guests can acquaint with folklore, folk music, songs and dances.
Karakalpakstan is developing its tourism infrastructure. Nukus and Beruni should be more comfortable for guests: it is projected to build new hotels, souvenir shops, cafes and restaurants there. It is no mere chance that these cities are assigned a special part. Many sightseeing tours start from Nukus, as there is an international airport and a railway station to get to any corner of the country. Beruni is the closest town to Urganch. They are connected by a bridge across the Amudaryo. The Karakalpak town comes first if a tourist route to the monuments of Karakalpakstan starts from the ancient Khiva. By the way, the archaeological heritage of Karakalpakstan has much in common with the monuments in the Khorazm region. For example, the researchers suppose that the murals of the second and the beginning of the first centuries BC in Akshankala is nothing more than portraits of governors of the Khorazm state.
Miracles in the Desert
Foreign experts call the Qunghirot Soda Plant a miracle in the desert. Yet at the design stage, the Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex has drawn the global attention as one of the most unique and innovative projects. New industrial giants will likely grow next to the industrial flagmen.
The construction of large enterprises is always associated with the results of research and evaluation of mineral deposits. Oil and gas fields, reserves of gold, iron, vanadium, titanium, phosphorus and molybdenum have been discovered in the Ustyurt plateau and on the dried bottom of the Aral Sea. There are also non-metallic minerals for the production of building materials.
“The Sultanuvays range with its deposits of iron ore, the raw material for the manufacture of cement, talc, marble, gypsum, is promising for the industry’s development. The district is currently producing chiefly the crushed stone, small amounts of talc and vermiculite,” says the Chairman of the Karakalpakstan Branch of Uzbek Academy of Sciences, Director of the Research Institute of Natural Sciences Nagmet Aimbetov. “The Tebinbuloq deposit of titanium, magnesium and iron ores is highly promising. There is an opportunity of building a processing plant near the deposit. The bowels of the western and southern coast of the Aral Sea, Takhtakupyr, Chimbay, Kegeyli and Karauzyak districts remain almost untouched.”
The ongoing projects prove the fact that all these resources can be used effectively. Commissioned in 2006, the Qunghirot Soda Plant produces 100 tons of soda ash annually. After the completion of the second stage the annual output will reach 200 thousand tons. The production of Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex, designed to produce 400 thousand tons of polyethylene and 100 thousand tons of polypropylene a year, will be in demand too.
The future development of the Qunghirot district, where the two plants are located, and the whole industry of Uzbekistan, is linked with their further development. The projects open the opportunity for the creation of new big manufactures, small and private businesses. Soda is a demanded raw material for the manufacture of detergents for various purposes, and polyethylene and propylene is the raw material for plastic pipes, household goods, machinery and other articles needed in today’s life.
So far, the industry is dominated by cotton processing, light and food industries, construction materials, metal processing and energy. There is a glass container plant in Khojeyli, carbide manufacture in Qunghirot, joint textile manufactures Elteks and Caltex.
As a result of the socio-economic program, finished consumer goods are tending to increase in the republic, and their imports from other regions of Uzbekistan and abroad is decreasing.
Many wholesale companies found industrial enterprises. For instance, Lesstroytorg LLC is engaged in wholesale of lumber, windows, flooring and other building materials. Several years ago the company commissioned a small manufacture of doors, gates, railings, parquet and other goods. The high demand for the goods has conditioned the expansion of the manufacture. As a result, it was transformed into a separate company – a diversified enterprise of Kardar.
“The increase in construction scope has promoted the development of our business. Along with private traders, the list of our customers includes the companies dealing with the construction of apartment buildings, industrial buildings, new housing estates in the countryside. We increase the volume of production and expand its range. For example, we have launched the manufacture of hot water heaters,” says the founder of Lesstroytorg Murat Khakimov. “This is our contribution to the implementation of social programs, including the creation of jobs. We provide our specialists with conditions for fruitful work, ensuring the shops with the up-to-date equipment.”
In the short term the Kardar LLC intends to expand. Waste wood will be a feedstock for the manufacture of particleboard and furniture. The range will be replenished by chipboard briquettes, which excel coal by quality.
The expanding businesses establish new production facilities. For example, the Stroyvektor LLC, a successful manufacturer of concrete structures, has launched a dairy farm and a milk processing company Panamilk, which supply dairy products to Nukus stores.
“In 2011, our company was included in the regional program of industrial development as a party in charge for implementation of a project on the establishment of a dairy farm, purchasing of high yielding thoroughbred cows, and construction of a dairy processing plant. We obtained a loan in Karakalpakstan branch of Asaka bank,” says the Stroyvektor Executive Director Karimbergen Kutiboev. “Today our Panamilk company produces about ten kinds of products, including yogurt, clotted cream, sour milk and various cheeses.”
Karakalpakstan is turning into one of the largest industrial centers of Uzbekistan. Today, there are large-scale enterprises that are fairly regarded as industrial leaders. The new enterprises are being built. Small businesses are called to ensure the population with goods in demand.
Sport
Uzbekistan welcomed as full member of IRB
International Rugby Board – The International Rugby Board has welcomed the Uzbekistan Rugby Federation (URF) as a Full Member Union after IRB Council approved its application at the annual meeting in Dublin on Wednesday.
The URF became an Associate Member of the IRB in November 2004 and is already a Full Member of the Asian Rugby Football Union (ARFU), regularly taking part in regional events and council meetings. In addition, the URF is recognised by its National Olympic Committee.
The IRB is committed to the development of Rugby in Asia and this is another step forward for the Game in that part of the world as Uzbekistan is regarded as a country with huge potential for further growth.
IRB Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: “We are delighted to be welcoming Uzbekistan as a Full Member of the IRB. Rugby is experiencing unprecedented global growth and interest with more than 6.6 million men, women and children playing the Game. Today’s announcement certainly underlines Rugby’s ability to reach out to new communities and countries in every region.”
“As home to 60 per cent of the world’s young people, Asia is a strategically important region for the IRB. Working in collaboration with ARFU we are currently investing more than US$3 million annually in development, high performance and tournament programmes across the region and we will ensure that Uzbekistan has the structures in place to flourish and grow on the world stage.”
The URF has met the IRB criteria for Full Member status. It is a well-structured organisation with dedicated administrators. It has around 350 active adult players and 250 youth players and runs a domestic Fifteens club competition while the national Fifteens team currently plays in the Asian 5 Nations competition.
(Source: 12news.uz)