July 13, 2015
President Islam Karimov Attends SCO Summit in Ufa. 2
Review of the building-materials market in Uzbekistan. 4
Navoi free industrial economic zone.. 6
“Uzexpocentre” National Exhibition Company’s Fairs’ and Exhibitions’ Schedule for 2015. 6
Dmitry Shokin wins gold medal of Universiade. 8
SCO SUMMIT
President Islam Karimov Attends SCO Summit in Ufa
As it was reported earlier, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov took part in the of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) meeting of Council of the Heads of State in the city of Ufa, Russia, on July 9-10.
The major events of the summit took place on July 10. The session of the Council of the Heads of State of SCO member nations started with a meeting in contracted format. The talks were attended by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbaev, President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping, President of the Kyrgyz Republic Almazbek Atambaev, President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, and President of the Republic Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon.
The meeting participants swapped visions on pressing issues of international and regional significance as well as prospects in the evolution of SCO.
It was noted in particular that the Organization provides with a good opportunity for practical dialogue and exchange of views on the effective solution of regional and global problems.
The SCO member countries’ heads of state continued negotiations at an extended format session that included also the leaders of observer nations, representatives of partners in dialogue and of international organizations.
In his speech, the President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov expounded on issues like countering the contemporary threats and challenges attaining a global nature as well as the SCO’s expansion and improvement of its activities.
The speedily changing modern world, along with the steadfast growth in the influence and prominence of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in addressing the urgent issues of our times, the emergence of the Organization as an authentic factor of provision for security, stability and sustainable development today quite naturally leads to a growing desire of many states to be admitted as full-fledged members of the SCO, to join the ranks of observer nations as well as partners in dialogue. And that is a rather natural process, Islam Karimov stressed.
It is essential to stick by and secure the rigid course adopted by us and fixed in the Charter and in all fundamental documents of the SCO – the course that provides for the Organization to be not directed against other countries.
Put it in other way, it is imperative that we rule out “bloc mindset” and turning the SCO into a military-political alliance. We instead ought to preserve and further cement the adherence to those principles and objectives that the Organization was set up to further, the President of our country insisted.
The leader of Uzbekistan said that the Afghan crisis does not have a military solution, and that the single viable way out of the problem is peaceful political negotiations, achievement of internal consensus among confronting sides under financial-economic and humanitarian support from donor nations and the proactive participation of the United Nations.
As Afghanistan’s neighbor, Uzbekistan continues with providing that country with assistance, implementing projects on the construction of transport communications, supplying the population with electricity and humanitarian aid.
Uzbekistan will keep with building its relations with Afghanistan on the bilateral basis, deriving from the imperatives of both countries’ national interests and displaying respect for the choice of the Afghan people.
The presidency in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization passes to Uzbekistan. In this regard, President Islam Karimov noted that our country assumes the responsible mission of the chairmanship in the SCO in the upcoming year when the 15th anniversary of the Organization will be celebrated, which quite naturally should raise the common responsibility for the successful realization of plans envisioned for future.
As the presiding state, Uzbekistan intends to strictly adhere to and comply by the principles of continuity and consistent consolidation and promotion of mutually beneficial cooperation that meets the interests of SCO nations, as well as the provision for the growth in the prestige of the Organization in the international arena.
Pending solution remains the elaboration of measures dedicated to bolster joint efforts to combat terrorism, extremism and separatism, working out adequate answers to contemporary challenges to international and regional security, ensuring sustainable development of economies and humanitarian advancement in all the countries participating in the Organization.
A great significance will be attached to measures designed to enhance interaction among member states with an aim to boost the role of the SCO as a reliable guarantor of stability and development in the region as well as to further amplify the relations with the United Nations, other international organizations and interested countries.
Within the framework of its chairmanship in the Organization, Uzbekistan is willing to pay constant attention to encouraging effective region-wide cooperation in the cultural-humanitarian and scientific-educational fields, Islam Karimov underscored.
As the outcome of the summit meeting, participants approved the Ufa Declaration, the SCO Development Strategy toward 2025 and the Cooperation Program in Countering Terrorism, Separatism and Extremism for 2016-2018. Also signed were the decisions to launch the accession process of India and Pakistan to the SCO, to grant observer status to Belarus and partners in dialogue to Azerbaijan, Armenia, Cambodia and Nepal.
As part of the Ufa summit, the President of Uzbekistan met with President of the People’s Republic of China Xi Jinping on 10 July. The two sides discussed the current state of bilateral ties and prospects of their development.
Islam Karimov noted that the Uzbek-Chinese relations have been advancing on the basis of negotiations between the heads of the two states built on friendship and mutual confidence.
A number of wide-ranging projects are being implemented in cooperation with the PRC in the economy, transport and communications, education and other spheres. The Central Asia-China gas pipeline, the electrified railroad Angren-Pap, the establishment of enterprises in Angren to manufacture tires for cars, agricultural machinery and conveyor belt all are the practical results of successful cooperation.
Especially noteworthy is the fact that the volumes of trade turnover between the two countries has tripled in the last six years. In 2008, the indicator was 1.5 billion dollars, while in 2014 it reached 4.7 billion.
Xi Jinping reiterated his congratulations for the head of our state on the victory in presidential elections that took place in March earlier this year, and expressed conviction that the people of Uzbekistan led by Islam Karimov will achieve even greater accomplishments in all walks of life.
The President of the PRC said that China has assigned a grant totaling 350 million yuans as technical assistance to support reforms in healthcare, education and IT development in Uzbekistan.
The two sides also exchanged views on cooperation issues within the frameworks of the SCO.
On the same day, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov met with President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin.
As it was noted, the meeting is taking place in the year when the two sides mark the 10th anniversary of the establishment of alliance relations between Uzbekistan and Russia and provides with a fine opportunity to trade opinions on all priority and prospective dimensions of bilateral cooperation.
The Presidents of the two countries discussed issues related to political, economic and humanitarian interaction. The leaders swapped views on pressing issues in regional security.
Uzbekistan and Russia have been cooperating actively within the frameworks of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Russia is one of Uzbekistan’s major trade-economic and investment partners. The volume of commerce turnover between our two nations has been growing steadily. The indicator exceeded 6 billion dollars in 2014.
Vladimir Putin invited Islam Karimov to the Russian Federation with state visit.
(Source: Press-service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
economy
Review of the building-materials market in Uzbekistan
Production of building materials in Uzbekistan is on a healthy upward trend these days. Indigenous producers understand that heavy investment in modern equipment and technology will enable them to receive lavish profits in the years to come. As President Karimov put it in his report at the Cabinet of Ministers’ meeting dedicated to the results of the nation’s socio-economic development in 2013 and priority directions of the 2014 Economic Program, “There is no progress without investment, nor is there the technical and technological renovation of manufacturing and the country at large”.
Building materials are turned out all over the Republic, with the main directions being the production of cement and goods made thereof, ferro-concrete goods, facing brick and decorative tile, marble, sand etc.
The last few years have seen an appreciable expansion of the indigenous building-materials market. According to data presented by the State Statistics Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan, in 2014 domestic enterprises produced 4.5 trillion Soum worth of building materials. The sector’s share of manufacturing as a whole came to 6.1 per cent.
The sales volumes of building materials on the Uzbek Republican Commodity and Raw Materials Stock Exchange tend to grow, which is mostly due to a steady rise in the volumes of building-assembling works fulfilled both within the country and across the Central Asian region. The main driving force behind such an increase is the obligatory sale of cement produce via a given stock-exchange.
Cement, roofing slate and wall materials make up the bulk of production volumes. For instance, average annual growth rates of cement production is about 10 per cent, lime – 8 per cent and asbestos-cement sheets – 6 per cent. At the same time, production of non-metallic building materials has been gradually shrinking – by 3-4 per cent a year on the average. It is the result of low competitiveness of some domestic producers of this type of goods in comparison with foreign analogues.
The increase in production volumes of cement and lime can also be explained by a growing demand for these building materials in neighboring countries, such as Kazakhstan, Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan. Among other things, this helps to improve the investment climate and business environment in Uzbekistan.
Within the framework of the 2014 Investment Program of the Republic of Uzbekistan approved by the Uzbek leader, over US $3.8 billion worth of foreign investments was attracted to the national economy toward the cost of 166 projects. Around 85 per cent of foreign direct investments was directed to the creation of new production facilities in the country’s oil-and-gas sector.
Last year, the building-materials industry manufactured goods to the tune of 4 553,3 billion Soum, or 10.7 per cent higher the 2013 level.
In the first six months of 2014, the industry’s large enterprises swelled production volumes of ceramic glazed slabs for furnaces, floors and walls by 38.3 per cent; parts of pre-fabricated structures for edifices and structures made of cement, concrete and artificial stone – by 52.5 per cent; bricks and building blocks made of cement – 2.3-fold, marble, travertine, alabaster and goods made thereof – 3-fold, gypsum – 2.5-fold, cement – by 4.2 per cent and pre-fabricated ferro-concrete structures – by 7 per cent.
In the past few years, a number of new facilities have been put into operation in Uzbekistan to manufacture a host of modern building materials, including gypsum board, dry mixtures, aluminum radiators and plastic panels for the decoration of walls and ceilings. In addition, production of door and window blocks and plastic pipes is on the rise in the Republic to date. And the Presidential Resolution, “On development priorities in manufacturing of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the period 2011-2015” as of December 15th, 2010 serves as a guiding document in this field.
At the present time, there are 960 enterprises producing burnt bricks used in the construction of standard houses in rural areas. The country’s biggest cement producers, including Akhangarancement, Kyzylkumcement, Bekabadcement, Kuvasaycement, the Almalyk Mining and Smelting Works and others, are operating at full capacity. High-quality building materials are extracted from keramzit and gypsum pits. In the first five months of the current year, the indigenous enterprises have already supplied 400,000 tons of cement, 309,000 sq. m. of building glass and other goods at wholesale prices.
The quality of output tends to improve alongside the expansion of production and a steady increase in its volumes. This is very important indeed, since domestic goods are getting more and more competitive in the world marketplace.
In Uzbekistan, all installations are constructed by enterprises incorporated into the Uzstroymaterialy Joint-Stock Company. In 1997, the re-establishment of state ownership rights at enterprises specializing in the production of building materials was brought to completion, with most of them joining the Uzstroymaterialy Joint-Stock Company. The latter, in turn, was set up following the Presidential Decree No УП-1787, “On reorganization of the Uzbek State Building-Materials Production Concern Uzstroymaterialy into the Joint-Stock Company Uzstroymaterialy” as of May 29th, 1997, and the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan No 277, “On measures to provide state support to the development of production of building materials” as of May 30th, 1997. For the time being, the Uzstroymaterialy Joint-Stock Company encompasses more than 100 enterprises, excluding its branches and subsidiaries.
Enjoying various kinds of ownership, such as joint-stock companies, limited liability societies, private enterprises, joint ventures, branches etc., all these enterprises turn out over 100 types of main building materials. Among them are cement, lime, gypsum, wall and decorative materials, glass, alkapon, marble and granite slabs, hydro- and thermo-insulating materials and the like.
Foreign investors are getting increasingly interested in cooperation with Uzbek building-materials producers. The most recent examples include the production of high-quality architectural decorative bricks and gas-concrete jointly with Jaal & Bridge International LTD (South Korea) and at the Uzbek-British JV Story Max Invest, respectively. The production rates of the following building materials have grown noticeably: cement – 104.4 per cent, roofing slate – 111.6 per cent, construction glass – 126.1 per cent, construction gypsum – 122.0 per cent, wall materials – 106.8 per cent, dry construction mixtures – 148.6 per cent, gypsum sheets – 137.1 per cent, glassware – 106.4 per cent etc.
Cement is one of the basic building materials made in the country. In 2014, cement production has represented 72 per cent of the industry’s total output.
Between 2013 and 2014, its share of the Republic’s building-materials exports reached 56 per cent. Thanks to diversification of the industry’s export structure, production of many new types of goods with a higher level of readiness was launched. In the indicated period the volume of cement exports was estimated at US $74.1 million, or 100.1 per cent of the target established for year 2014.
In 2014, Uzbekneftegaz’s big enterprises managed to implement 67.8 billion Soum worth of capital investments.
A decade ago, the Republic imported a long list of building materials, such as roofing materials, tiled roof, metal roofing, slate roofing, profiled flooring, aluminum profiles, polyvinylchloride profiles, PVC glue, paints, radiators, plinths, switches, marble, granite, doors, glazed Dutch tiles, electric light bulbs, plastic ceilings, flues and ventilating pipes. Today, all these products are not only made domestically, but they are also exported to different countries.
(Source: «Business partner.uz» newspaper)
Navoi free industrial economic zone
New Players in the Market
Two major technological production projects are slated to be launched in the near future in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone (FIEZ). British investors will have a stake in both the projects.
Uzbekistan’s J-United Group and the UK’s Dartlex Impex LLP have set up a joint venture, Green Line Profil, which will produce aluminum profiles and other aluminum items. The company will make 35 tons of profiles and other items. The investors intend to channel over $35 million into the project.
The plant is expected to be furnished with cutting-edge technologies with high-level mechanization and automation of production processes starting from casting, extrusion and coloring lines to aluminum packaging.
The active expansion of this niche in Uzbekistan’s market is due to large-scale ongoing construction and reconstruction work. Large swathes of the market are held by several major companies that have been in operation in Uzbekistan for over ten years. The emergence of a new player will ratchet up competition among them and introduction of new technologies while helping to improve quality and lowering prices.
The other project seeks to create another producer of mobile phones, Smart Communications, a joint venture set up by Uzbekistan’s Infinity Electronics and the UK’s Wynex Innovation LLP.
Currently, two companies produce mobile phones in Uzbekistan. In July 2013, China’s communication giant ZTE and JV Peng Sheng launched a phone assembly line under the brand of UzTE in Syrdarya Region. The company eyes annual production of 500,000 mobile phones by 2017. A rival company, Artel, also set up an assembly line for several types of phones in 2013 in Tashkent. The new joint project with British investors will usher in a new phase of development of these lines. The plan is to produce around 200,000 mobile phones annually in the Navoi Free Industrial Economic Zone.
Founders of the companies intend to invest $2 million into the project. In the pipeline is localization of production with a gradual increase in its share as well as creation of new jobs.
The ultimate plan is to bring annual production of mobile phones to 1.05 million by the end of 2019.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Exhibiton
“Uzexpocentre” National Exhibition Company’s Fairs’ and Exhibitions’ Schedule for 2015
| Topic | Organizer | Date | Venue | |
| 1. 1 | ICTExpo – 2015 и ICTForum – 2015 | Ministry for Development of Information Technologies and Comunications | 15-17.09 | Pavilions №№2,3 Atrium 2 Conf.hall |
| 2. | «UZENERGYEXPO 2015» | IEG UZBEKISTAN | 16-18.09 | Pavilion №1 |
| 3. | «UZSTROYEXPO 2015» | IEG UZBEKISTAN | 16-18.09 | Pavilion №1 |
| 4. | FOODWEEK / AGRITEK UZBEKISTAN 2015 | EXPO POSITION | 23-25.09 | Pavilion №1 |
| 5. | TASHKENT – FLORA 2015 | JSS NEC UZEXPOCENTRE | 23-25.09 | Pavilion №2 |
| 6. | «UZMEDEXPO 2015» | IEG UZBEKISTAN | 29.09-01.10 | Pavilion №1 |
| 7. | Tashkent International Tourist Fair 2015 | «UZBEKTOURISM» NC | 05-07.10 | Pavilions №№1,2 |
| 8. | International Uzbek Cotton & Textile Fair | MFER RU, COTTON OUTLOOK, “Uzbekyengilsanoat” (light industry) SJSC, «Uzpakhtasanoat» association, «Sifat» Training Center | 14-15.10* | Pavilions №1,2 Atrium1 Conf.hall |
| 9. | Mining World Uzbekistan 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №1 |
| 10. | UZCOMAK 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №1 |
| 11. | MACHINERY CENTRAL ASIA 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №1 |
| 12. | CAIPS 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Atrium 1 |
| 13. | O’ZUPACK’2015 O’ZBEKinPRINT’2015 |
ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №2 |
| 14. | CHEMIE UZBEKISTAN 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №2 |
| 15. | PLASTEX UZBEKISTAN 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 20-22.10 | Pavilion №2 |
| 16. | International Industrial Fair &Cooperating Exchange | MFER RU, Ministry of Economics, Council of Ministers for the Republic of Karakalpakstan, town councils of regions and Tashkent city | 26.10-02.11 | Pavilions №№ 1,2,3,4 Atrium 1,2 Conf.hall |
| 17. | TRANS UZBEKISTAN 2015 | ITE UZBEKISTAN | 11-13.11 | Pavilion №1 |
| 18. | «UZAGROEXPO 2015» | IEG UZBEKISTAN | 25-27.11 | Pavilion №1 |
| 19. | «UZPRODEXPO 2015» | IEG UZBEKISTAN | 25-27.11 | Pavilion №1 |
| 20. | WORLD OF CHILDHOOD 2015 | JSS NEC UZEXPOCENTRE | 16-18.12 | Pavilion №1 |
| 21. | SPORT WORLD UZBEKISTAN 2015 | JSS NEC UZEXPOCENTRE | 16-18.12 | Pavilion №1 |
(Source: www.uzexpocentre.uz)
sport
Dmitry Shokin wins gold medal of Universiade
Dmitry Shokin of Uzbekistan won a gold medal of the 2015 World Summer Universiade in Gwangju (South Korea).
Dmitry Shokin clinched a gold medal in taekwondo competitions of the Universiade in the weight category of over 87 kg.
The Uzbek athlete defeated Adrian Cabo Esteban of Spain, Kaan Kilic of Turkey and Mehran Askari of Iran to reach finals of the tournament. Shokin beat Yoonkeun Park of South Korea to clinch the first place.
This is the first medal of Uzbekistan at the Universiade. In general medal classification, Uzbekistan holds the 37th place.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
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