DECEMBER 4 – THE ELECTIONS OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN.. 2
The Candidates’ Programs: the Most Critical and Interesting Points. 2
On extraordinary session of Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC.. 6
Meetings of the delegation of Uzbekistan in Mecca. 7
POLItiCs
Acting President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev met with President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Samarkand
As reported earlier, President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan arrived in Samarkand on 17 November.
On 18 November Acting President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the burial place of the First President of the Republic of Uzbekistan at the Khazrati Khizr complex and paid a tribute of respect to the memory of Islam Karimov.
The negotiations between Acting President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan took place at the “Forumlar majmuasi” Palace.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev expressed gratitude to the President of Turkey for sincere condolences on the death of the First President of Uzbekistan. The visit of Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Samarkand and paying a tribute of respect to the bright memory of Islam Karimov is a high symbol of respect to the people of Uzbekistan.
It was underlined, that this visit demonstrates that Turkey attaches a significant importance to developing relations with Uzbekistan.
It should be noted that Turkey was one of the first countries to recognize independence of Uzbekistan.
The Uzbek and Turkish people are inextricably linked by centuries-old common history, language and religion, shared values and similar customs and traditions.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev highlighted that Uzbekistan considers Turkey as an important and long-term partner and champions strengthening friendship ties between our people, developing cooperation on the basis of the principles of mutual trust.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan specifically stressed that Turkey considers Uzbekistan as its priority partner in Central Asia and noted the sustained maintenance of socio-political stability and continuation of economic progress in our country.
It was accentuated that the current level of cooperation of our countries does not correspond to existing capabilities and the potential of Uzbekistan and Turkey. This meeting is a favourable opportunity to exchange views on the issues of developing our collaboration.
During negotiations, the issues of further strengthening mutual trust between Uzbekistan and Turkey were discussed, the parties exchanged opinions on organization of regular consultations between foreign ministries, mutual support within the framework of international organizations.
Uzbekistan, within the frameworks of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, initiated establishment of the Imam Bukhari international research centre in Samarkand. The parties expressed satisfaction on the support of this initiative by the OIC Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture, the headquarters of which is located in Turkey.
The issues of trade-economic cooperation were also discussed in detail during the conversation.
Turkey is one of the traditional and principal trade partners of Uzbekistan. In 2015 the volume of mutual trade turnover amounted to 1,2 bln. US dollars. It is expected that the growth rates in this sphere will be maintained this year as well. However, as was noted by the parties, these numbers do not reflect the existing potential of our countries and there are plenty opportunities to increase the trade volumes by 2-3 times in the coming years.
Currently around 500 Turkish firms and companies operate in Uzbekistan. The volume of Turkish investments to our economy exceed 1 bln. US dollars.
During the conversation the parties expressed confidence that this visit will give new impetus to mutually beneficial contacts of representatives of business circles of the two countries.
The sides considered the issues of construction of complexes on growing and deep processing of agricultural products, storage, packaging and exports of food products, establishment of modern joint ventures in textile and leather-processing industries, in particular, joint promotion of finished branded products in world markets through the joint deep processing of cotton fiber and leather, development and implementation of new projects in the field of pharmaceutics.
The issues of further development of tourist infrastructure of Uzbekistan through attracting leading Turkish travel companies in construction of modern tourist complexes, meeting the international standards, in Samarkand, Bukhara, Khorezm and Tashkent regions, were considered at the meeting.
A special attention was paid to transport communications as well. It was emphasized that the launch of the Baku-Akhalkalaki-Kars railway will be an important factor in addressing such strategic issues as the establishment of direct transport corridor, linking the two countries, the development of trade and economic partnership.
Taking into account the discussed issues, the parties agreed to hold a regular session of the intergovernmental joint commission and Uzbek-Turkish Investment Forum early next year in Tashkent.
Cultural and humanitarian cooperation occupies a special place in relation of the two countries. The sides discussed issues of development of cooperation in this direction.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed solid confidence that the agreements, reached during this meeting, will elevate bilateral relations to a qualitatively new level, serve in opening new pages of mutually beneficial cooperation.
In the second half of the day, the high-level guest visited Imam Bukhari, Imam Moturidi complexes and Amir Temur mausoleum, the Registan square.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan noted that during the years of independence, under the leadership of President Islam Karimov, these holy sites have been cardinally reconstructed and acquired a new look. The Head of Turkey underscored that Uzbekistan has been reaching high results in the revival, study and popularization of rich spiritual heritage of our ancestors throughout the world.
On this, President of the Republic of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan concluded his visit to our country.
(Source: UzA)
DECEMBER 4 – THE ELECTIONS OF PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
The Candidates’ Programs: the Most Critical and Interesting Points
Candidates to presidency of Uzbekistan set forth their electoral programs in detail in the course of election campaign. We offer our readers the most important and interesting points of their programs.
Towards national prosperity
Presidential candidate from Milliy Tiklanish Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (DPU) Sarvar Otamuratov has advanced the idea “From national rejuvenation towards national prosperity!” in the quality of the main objective of his pre-election program, while its major task is protection of national interests and values. Having proclaimed that “the nation, which is not aware of its own history has no future”, he comes out for its objective study, avoiding one-sided approach, subjectivity and falsifications in the assessment of the past.
The candidate advocates the adoption and implementation of the State program aimed at careful attitude to architectural monuments, their restoration, and inclusion into the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites of those which earlier had not been included into it. He insists on carrying out active measures to return to Uzbekistan scientific and artistic works, material values related to the history of the Uzbek people and created by our scholars, thinkers, writers and poets and kept at the libraries, archives and museums in foreign countries.
S.Otamuratov considers that it necessary to elaborate a complex of activities aimed at the enrichment and further improvement of the Uzbek language; consolidation of its status as a state language, further raising the language culture; prevent violations of its norms and rules in the mass media, as well as in the content of information reports, outdoor advertizing and announcements, and significantly increase the circulation of books, newspapers and magazines in the Uzbek language on the basis of the Latin alphabet.
Proceeding from national values and mentality of the people, he proposes to actively develop the system of pre-trial resolution of family, inheritance, housing and other daily disputes, including through seeking compromise and reconciliation between the parties for the peaceful resolution of all conflicts.
In the field of economics the candidate stands for adoption of targeted measures on the promotion of goods with the “Made in Uzbekistan” brand to world markets through efficient support of domestic manufacturers, including through reduction of tax burden, application of customs benefits and preferences and such other forms of government support. Stemming from the complicated geographical location of Uzbekistan – without access to seas and weakly developed logistical infrastructure – he calls for elaboration of a program designed to provide tax benefits and preferences to transport and logistical companies, which would serve to raise the export potential of our country, as well as for satisfying the needs of our youth in the modern and high quality domestically produced clothing.
The candidate comes out for the development of the tourist industry in Uzbekistan, which has not yet been activated to its full measure, and turn the country into one of the centers of world tourism.
Sarvar Otamuratov stands for adoption of concrete moves for prevention of early marriages and early childbirth, as well as for shaping a sense of intolerance in regard to these phenomena. He proposes to ban the sale of unhealthy energy drinks to teenagers and supports the transport discount fares for students of professional colleges and academic lyceums.
A priority objective of the candidate is development of all types of sports. In particular, he comes out for inclusion of the national wrestling – kurash – into the program of Olympic Games.
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Peace, stability, propserous life
Presidential candidate from the Liberal Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (UzLiDeP) Shavkat Mirziyoyev has identified continuation and enhancement of the economic reforms, securing peace and tranquility, consolidation of economic might and creation of decent living conditions for the people the main objectives of his pre-election program.
He comes out for an efficient functioning of the government administration and its apparatus and is a champion of transfer of powers from the center of local bodies of government, hence he intends to improve the tasks and functions of hokimiyats at all levels. He is also an advocate of elimination of bureaucracy and irresponsibility of government functionaries in considering the citizens’ appeals.
In the judicial and legislative sphere Sh.Mirziyoyev is determined to continue the policy of liberalization of criminal penalties, transference of certain crimes into the category of those, which do not pose major threat to the public, and further expansion of opportunities for application of features of the institute of reconciliation.
He considers the struggle against corruption and organized crime to be a priority task, as well as efficient solution of offense prevention issues.
The candidate thinks that the central task in the economy is to more than double the GDP volume by the year 2030, bring up the share of industry in the economy up to 40%. With this aim in view he plans to realize eight special programs. 657 investment projects worth about $40 billion will have to be implemented within the next five years, which will enable to increase 1.5 times over the volume of industrial output.
Yet another priority task outlined by the candidate is further reforming the rural economy. A program designed for the years 2017-2020 will be adopted for the development of multi-purpose farms within the framework of which it is planned to carry out the optimization of crop areas and stage-by-stage reduction of lands under cotton plants.
It is vital to realize a complex of measures on shrinking the level of government’s presence in the economy, development and protection of private property, according to the candidate. It is key to eliminate all obstacles and limitations, which prevent the development of private ownership and entrepreneurship, provide greater freedoms to small businesses and private entrepreneurship, and prevent illegal interference into their activities.
Top priority tasks include turning the capital of our country – Tashkent – into one of the most beautiful and comfortable megalopolises not only in our region, but also in the global scale. With this objective in view, construction and landscaping work will be continued for its development with the use of the most advanced achievements of national architecture and modern city planning.
15 thousand comfortable and inexpensive new model modern houses with a twofold decrease in the amount of initial installment fee will be built in rural areas for low income families within the social sphere program in 2017. In large cities and towns will be erected multi-storied apartments with affordable rental fees for the families with low income.
Sh.Mirziyoyev is determined to build up the defense capabilities of the country and the potential of its Armed Forces, which will serve as a guarantee for ensuring the Republic’s security, stability of the country and the well-being of the people in conditions of evolving complicated international situation with the growing threat of terrorism, extremism and radicalism.
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Support of the state and the society
The major objective of the pre-election program of the presidential candidate from the National Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (NDPU) Khotamjon Ketmonov is protection of the interests of those strata of population, who need support from the side of the state and the society.
For this the candidate proposes to elaborate and implement renewed mechanisms for defining standards of minimal consumer basket and optimize the cost of utility services by way of government adjustment of their tariffs.
He comes out for the introduction of new methods for securing the employment of the population, ensuring interrelation between key criteria of socio-economic programs with the indicated number of created permanent work places in the course of their implementation. According to him, new approaches to elaboration of the state programs on the creation of new jobs will prevent the outflow of labor force outside the boundaries of the country. He also proposes to expand the practice of allocation of preferential micro loans for self-employment of professional college graduates, create conditions for stimulation of their individual businesses and entrepreneurial activities, exempt them from the charges set up in opening one’s own business, as well as exempt from all taxes for a specified period.
There is a need in a tax policy, which would motivate the integration of small production enterprises operating in our country, introduction of a ‘medium-size enterprise’ concept, i.e. specification of criteria of a ‘large’, ‘medium’ and ‘small’ size enterprises, according to the candidate.
Kh.Ketmonov comes out for the realization of a strong social policy covering the efficient system of pension provision and social benefits, which would guarantee full satisfaction of vital needs of pensioners, disabled people and children left without parental care.
The candidate advocates prevention of dependency spirit among those layers of the population who are in need of social assistance, supports their labor and entrepreneurial activity and motivation of initiative. He proposes to replace monthly payments of material help and social allowances to families with low income with one off payments on condition of their targeted use for setting up their own businesses.
To create favorable conditions to persons with limited physical opportunities Kh.Ketmonov deems it necessary to ensure the construction of special access ways – ramps – at all buildings and structures, as well as pedestrian walkways adapted for them.
In the educational sphere he comes out for expansion of the government supported pre-school educational establishments operating for free or on the basis of preferential charges.
He also proposes to stimulate the problem of targeted enrollment into the higher educational institutions on specified professions, stemming on the needs of enterprises and establishments and expand the possibility to study at Universities for students with limited physical opportunities.
The candidate advocates the establishment of legislative foundations for the organization of home labor as a family preschool education caregiver for women with pedagogical education, who are not working temporarily due to caring for a child.
He proposes to strengthen control over the activities of pharmaceutical enterprises and drug stores, as well as over the prices of health products, to limit their advertising and ensure that the public hospitals make a list of essential drugs and their preferential provision to certain categories of people.
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Power is in justice!
Presidential candidate from the “Adolat” Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan (SDPU) Narimon Umarov identified among the priorities of his program the creation of a constitutional democratic state and just civil society with socially-oriented market economy.
With the aim to improve the efficiency of local government bodies he comes out for empowerment of hokims with broader authority in hiring and dismissal of heads of regional subdivisions of ministries and departments, and strengthening their impact on personnel policies on the ground.
The candidate stands for adjustment of major socio-economic relations only through legislative channels, as well as for reduction of the number of bylaws and regulations.
He is also a supporter of managing market relations, bringing order to the market, introduction of the principle “Competition – as much as possible, public administration – as appropriate.” He also proposes to adopt a comprehensive program of measures to accelerate the development and widely introduce modern innovations and high technology in our country.
The candidate considers that there are unused opportunities for the active attraction of resources of the population, small businesses and entrepreneurial structures into the financial market. Their solution will enable to involve additional investments and financial resources into the development of the economy.
In order to accelerate the development of remote regions and small towns, to avoid dramatic economic and social gaps between the regions and the capital city N.Umarov suggests to move the head offices of large companies to small towns and carry out extensive reconstruction of their social and manufacturing infrastructure at the expense of the national budget.
The ecologic problems hold a large share of his program. Thus, he comes out in favor of promoting competition in the energy resources market by making full and effective use of alternative energy sources, expansion of solar cell production and other innovative technologies to generate renewable sources of energy, for efficient stimulation of transition to “green economy” and high technology, further development of production of environmentally clean and friendly output.
An important task is ensuring clean environment through processing industrial wastes, according to the candidate. Efforts in the solution of environmental problems need to be concentrated, in the first place, on their economic aspects. Solution of all problems related to ecology and protection of the citizens’ health should not be shifted to the budget. N.Umarov stands for the principle “Polluter pays and pays much”.
He proposes to strictly prevent illegal trafficking of medicines, sale of counterfeit and substandard drugs, to continuously improve the activities of screening and perinatal centers, women’s health consultancy establishments, maternity hospitals and house nursing services.
In the field of education the candidate comes out for simplification of nostrification of diplomas received by our citizens at foreign higher educational institutions, for moving the higher educational institutions from the capital city to regions, and for accelerated development of modern ‘distance learning’ methods.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
BUSINESS CLIMATE
Uzbekistan has developed an integrated system of privileges and preferences to support domestic exporting enterprises in the conditions of global economic crisis, and stimulate the production of export-oriented goods
For example, micro firms and small businesses are exempt from mandatory sale of foreign currency proceeds from exports of their own goods, works and services. Customs rate for registration of export of goods is reduced twice. Prices are notably reduced, and the process of registration of export documents is simplified for export enterprises in processing foreign exchange operations.
A stepwise mechanism of customs agreements is based on ‘single window’ service for processing documentation, declaration, certification, sanitary and epidemiological control and other customs procedures.
The government also assigned specialized agencies to support export companies in promotion and delivery of goods to foreign markets, standardization and certification of products of small businesses. The list of such agencies includes the Fund to Support Exports of Small Businesses and Private Enterprises.
Along with that, domestic producers of goods, works or services have been entrusted with participation in international tenders on the projects that are carried out in Uzbekistan and funded by international financial institutions, donor countries, foreign governments and other non-residents, on an equal footing with foreign participants. At the same time, they are empowered for entering into direct contracts in foreign currency for the supply of manufactured goods, works and services.
As of April 1, 2012, exporting companies are exempt from the mandatory sale to authorized banks of the foreign exchange earnings that are channeled by current payments to repay the principal foreign currency loans for new construction, modernization and technological upgrade of operating facilities, for the period prior to the full repayment of the principal debt. The related resolutions assigned commercial banks to increase the volume of factoring services on export transactions, and extend the time limit of factoring services on export operations from 60 to 90 days.
Chairmanship of the Republic of Uzbekistan in the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation
On extraordinary session of Council of Foreign Ministers of OIC
On November 17, 2016 the Delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan took part in the extraordinary the session of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Mecca.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Uzbekistan. Foreign ministers of the OIC member states exchanged views on the candidacy of Yusuf bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen suggested by Saudi Arabia for the post of Secretary General of the organization. He has been General Director of the Cabinet and chief adviser to the Secretary General until now.
The session approved Yusuf bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen as the Secretary General of the OIC, as well as thanked to Iyad Amin Madani for his many years of fruitful work as Secretary General.
On the initiative of the Saudi Arabia the session of the CFM adopted a resolution in connection with the incident of the launch of a ballistic missile from the territory of Yemen towards Mecca.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
Meetings of the delegation of Uzbekistan in Mecca
On November 17, 2016, in Mecca, the delegation of the Republic of Uzbekistan held meetings and talks with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Nizar Madani and the new Secretary General of the OIC Yusuf bin Ahmad Al-Othaimeen.
During the meetings, the sides discussed the state and prospects of development of bilateral relations as well as issues related to the implementation of the priorities of Uzbekistan’s chairmanship in the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, voiced in October in Tashkent at the 43rd Session of the Foreign Ministers of Member Countries of the Organization.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
health CARE
Anti influenza vaccine production has been launched in Uzbekistan. This will enable the country to increase the vaccination coverage up to the levels recommended by the World Health Organization, according to experts
The BIO VAKSINALAR Ltd. set up by the “Uzfarmsanoat” JSC jointly with the French “Sanofi” is a manufacturer of new preparations for the Uzbek market. The company’s first product which appeared in the market was the “Vaksigrip” anti-influenza vaccine. It has to be noted, that it was the first domestically manufactured anti-influenza product; in the past these preparations used to be imported in their full entirety.
“According to WHO, influenza is globally-spread disease, with annual prevalence rates estimated at 5-10% in adults and 20-30% among children. This disease may lead to hospitalization and death, especially among high-risk groups (very young children, the elderly or chronically ill people),” says deputy chief of Sanitary and Epidemiological Surveillance Department of the Ministry of Healthcare Dilorom Tursunova. “This production facility will allow Uzbekistan to increase the vaccination coverage up to the level recommended by the WHO, and to protect its citizens from this dangerous infection.”
The new enterprise will manufacture in the future preparations against chronic diseases of cardio-vascular and endocrine systems, as well as gastrointestinal tract.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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