July 27, 2015
24th anniversary of Independence of Uzbekistan.. 2
I Hold You Dear, Uzbekistan! 2
Foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan grows by 0.5% in 1H.. 3
Uzbek banks granted small businesses over 6.4 trillion soums of loans. 3
24th anniversary of Independence of Uzbekistan
I Hold You Dear, Uzbekistan!
A Presidential Resolution put forth ahead of the celebrations of the 24th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence has set out priority areas of the program of events.
Independence gave our nation unlimited opportunities to restore our national statehood and self-awareness, traditions and religion, to glorify our outstanding ancestors, and to bring up a healthy and harmoniously developed generation. Uzbekistan moved to get rid of the outmoded command-administrative system and chose its own path of development based on five famous principles. The path the country is following has won international acclaim as “the Uzbek model of reforms”.
In a historically short span of time, the republic’s economy grew more than 5.5 times; real income per capita swelled nearly nine-fold; the $190 billion worth of investments in the national economy over this period has led to the creation of new sectors such as automobile building, petroleum, gas and chemical industries, oil and gas and railroad machinery building, production of modern construction materials, home appliances and pharmaceuticals among others.
The agricultural sector enjoys broad avenues for the development of the farming movement. Moreover, farming households currently not only produce 90 to 92% of all agricultural products but are also turning into a powerful sociopolitical force.
Small business and private entrepreneurship, a sector that was virtually nonexistent prior to Uzbekistan’s independence, presents account for over 56% of the country’s GDP. Around 75–77% of the employed population is engaged in this area while the class of owners is providing remarkable support for our society.
The looks of Uzbek cities and villages are changing year after year. In particular, major construction programs and projects have been launched in rural areas, which have led to the creation of infrastructure and homes based on standard housing projects for hundreds of families.
The amount of funds allocated by the government for social needs, especially for the older generation, women and the youth, and in an effort to ensure their rights and interests, safeguard families, mothers and children, and strengthen the social sphere as a whole, is growing annually. In 2014 alone, the expenses from the state budget for these goals totaled over 60%.
Major work is being carried out to bring up a harmoniously developed generation equipped with modern skills, knowledge and professions and dedicated to their homeland and people. As many as 278 music and art schools, 523 sports facilities and over 100 swimming pools have been created across the country over the past five years. Around 2 million children, among them over 840,000 girls, do sports on a regular basis.
The success accomplished by Uzbekistan continues to win acclaim from the international community. In particular, the rating of countries with fast developing economies publicized by the World Economic Forum put Uzbekistan in the fifth position. In another instance, the World Happiness Report, a landmark survey conducted by Columbia University sociologists with assistance from the United Nations Organizations, ranks Uzbekistan 44th globally and first in the CIS.
The primary factors of these achievements are the nation’s commitment, dedication, hard work, change of world outlooks, growth of political consciousness, social engagement, and further strengthening of people’s civic stance, the Resolution says. All these moments will be reflected in the programs of events dedicated to the holiday that embody the slogan “I hold you dear, my native Uzbekistan!”
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
POLItiCs
Earnest Congratulations
Heads of foreign states and prominent international organizations have been sending congratulatory letters addressed to President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on the occasion of the holiday Ramadan Hayit (Eid al-Fitr).
Sincere greetings have come from, inter alia:
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King of Saudi Arabia
Muhammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Minister of the Interior of Saudi Arabia
David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar
Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, Crown Prince of the State of Qatar
Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior of the State of Qatar
Abdelaziz Bouteflika, President of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Mahmoud Abbas, President of Palestine, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization
Abdullah Abdullah, Chairman of the Executive Council of the Government (Chief Executive Officer) of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore
Safokhon Jalolkhon Tura Marghilani and other compatriots residing in Saudi Arabia
Vikenty, Orthodox Metropolitan of Tashkent and Uzbekistan, Head of the Central Asia Metropolitan District
Greeting notes continue to come.
(Source: Press-service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
economy
Foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan grows by 0.5% in 1H
Foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan grew by 0.5% year-on-year in the first half of 2015 and reached US$12.635 billion.
According to the State Statistics Committee, the volume of exports increased by 7.4% year-on-year in the reporting period to US$6.359 billion.
The imports of Uzbekistan made up US$6.257 billion in January-June 2015, which decreased by 5.7% year-on-year, the committee said.
The foreign trade surplus of Uzbekistan made up US$83.4 million in the first half of 2015.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Uzbek banks granted small businesses over 6.4 trillion soums of loans
The Central Bank of Uzbekistan held an enlarged session on July 22. During the session, it was noted that in the first half of 2015, the total volume of loans directed to the real sector of the economy compared to the same period last year increased by 30.5%, and as of July 1, 2015 amounted to more than 37.5 trillion soums (currency rates of CB RU from 27.07.2015 1$= 2570.22 soums ).
The volume of loans for investment purposes, compared with the same period last year increased by more than 1.2 times and as of July 1, 2015 amounted to 5 trillion soums.
In the framework of execution of resolutions and decrees of the head of state, aimed at development of small business, creation of a favorable business environment and providing greater freedom for entrepreneurship, the volume of loans allocated to small businesses compared to the same period in 2014 increased by 1.3 times and as of July 1 2015 it amounted to more than 6.4 trillion soums, including the amount of allocated micro-credits exceeded 1.4 trillion soums, which is 1.3 times more than the same period of the last year.
The volume of loans for the support of women’s entrepreneurship, compared to the same period last year increased by 1.3 times and amounted to more than 685.7 billion soums.
In addition, banks are paying serious attention to the broad involvement of graduates of professional colleges in the entrepreneurship, as well as financing of business projects. Thus, in the first half of this year they allocated for this purpose loans worth over 133.2 billion soums, which is 1.7 times more than in the corresponding period last year.
(Source: UzReport.uz)
sport
Asian Records Beaten
One of the strongest components of the development of sports in Uzbekistan is the Paralympics movement. Swimmers Dmitriy Horlin and Kirill Pankov have set the new records of Asia.
The memory of their triumphant performance at the 2nd Paralympics, held in 2014 in Incheon is still fresh. Kirill Pankov won four and Dmitriy Horlin won three gold medals. Kirill has established a record of Asia in Freestyle 50 meters while Dmitriy had new records in three categories.
And yet again, there are messages about new records from the guys. This time they were in Glasgow for the World Swimming Championships among Paralympians. 580 swimmers from 70 countries have participated in this competition.
Dmitry Khorlin swam the 400 meters freestyle in 4 minutes, 9.36 sec. That was enough to win the bronze medal and update the previous Asian record.
Kirill Pankov just fell short of a medal in Backstroke Freestyle, but was among the top eight. However, the results of the athlete in both types of records were higher than in Asia.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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