INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 44

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INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 44

March 3, 2015

uzbek_digestPOLICY.. 2

Uzbek President signs resolution on celebration of Navruz. 2

economy.. 2

Uzbekistan produced 245.7 thousand cars in 2014. 2

International cooperation.. 3

On the Entry into Force of the Agreement Between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Cyprus on Cooperation in Combating Crime. 3

Aircraft Maintenance and Repairs. 3

REGIONS: Karakalpakstan.. 4

New Living Conditions in Karakalpakstan. 4

 

 

POLICY

Uzbek President signs resolution on celebration of Navruz

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov signed a resolution “On preparation and holding national holiday Navruz in 2015” on 25 February 2015.

With his resolution, the President of Uzbekistan approved an organizational committee on preparation and holding Navruz celebrations.

President instructed the organizational committee to develop and implement an action plan for holding Navruz celebrations Nowruz as a nation-wide celebration across Uzbekistan.

The committee should focus on informing people about good traditions, customs and values related to Navruz, respect to and support of elder people, gratitude to nature, etc.

The resolution said that the organizational committee will attract professional singers and folk groups to solemn ceremonies.

The resolution said that the celebrations in Karakalpakstan and the regions will be financed due to local budgets, while in Tashkent – due to state and local budgets in equal size.

(Source: UzDaily.com)

economy

Uzbekistan produced 245.7 thousand cars in 2014

Today, the domestic auto industry is one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy of Uzbekistan. The automobile industry of Uzbekistan today – tens of uniquely equipped modern enterprises, which allow producing products at the highest international standards, as well as flexibly and quickly set up the production of new species. Cars of domestic production are driven on the roads around the world, demonstrating the strength, quality and reliability of Uzbek cars.

According to “Uzavtosanoat”, industry enterprises produced commodity products worth 8.9 trillion soums, in 2014 (currency rates of CB RU from 3.03.2015   1$= 2466.86 soums)

Including production of:

– Passenger cars totaled – 245.7 thousand units;

 

– Buses and trucks ISUZU – 3.8 thousand units;

– Trucks MAN – 1.2 thousand units;

– Power units – 133.7 thousand units.

During the reporting period, 55 thousand cars went for export. At that, in order to diversify export supply “Uzavtosanoat conducts fruitful work on finding new markets. It is worth noting that domestic engineering products are most in demand in such markets as the Russian Federation, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Belarus, as well as Indonesia, Brazil, Turkey and Korea.

As of January 1, 2015, 30 enterprises of the company have certificates for quality management system (QMS) in accordance with International Standard ISO 9001: 2008. The share of certified products released in the total production of the enterprises of the company amounts to 99.6%.

In 2014, as part of the approved “Investment Program of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 2014” put into operation 14 projects worth $ 87.4 million, including:

– “Mastering the production of headlights and lamps for cars” Lacetti “(” Gentra “), the joint venture” UzChasis “(design capacity – 50 thousand sets);

– “Organization of seats for the car” Damas “based on” Khorezm Auto “JV” Uz-Tong Hong “(design capacity – 40 thousand sets);

– “Organization of the production of plastic parts of medium, small size and interior parts for the car” Damas “based on” Khorezm Auto “JV” Uz-Dong Yang “(design capacity – 40 thousand sets);

– “Development of bumpers, instrument panels and other plastic parts for the car” Damas “based on” Khorezm Auto “, LLC” Uz-Koram “(design capacity – 40 thousand sets);

– “Production of stamped parts for the car” Damas “, LLC” Hozarasp Auto “(JV” UzSeMyung “) (design capacity – 40 thousand sets);

– “Organization of the exhaust system for the car” Damas “on the basis of” Khorezm Auto “JV” Uz-Dong Won “(design capacity – 40 thousand sets);

– “Production passenger cars model” Damas “on the basis of” Khorezm Auto “, CJSC” GM Uzbekistan “(design capacity – 40 thousand cars);

– “Production of polymer compounds JV” Avtosanoat Sepla “(design capacity – 8 thousand tons.).

In the framework of the localization of enterprises provided output by 16 projects totaling 141.1 billion soums.

According to “Uzavtosanoat” currently, the industry employs over 26 thousand people, by the results of 2014, 1.450 new work places were created.

(Source: UzReport.uz)

International cooperation

On the Entry into Force of the Agreement Between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Cyprus on Cooperation in Combating Crime

Following the completion of the domestic procedures, on 27 February 2015 the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Government of the Republic of Cyprus on cooperation in combating crime entered into force.

The document was signed on 5 April 2012 in Tashkent.

The Agreement provides for collaboration of two states combating crimes against the life and health of persons, peace, public security and order, as well as in the spheres of economic activities and information technology. Cooperation within the Agreement will be carried out by exchange of information in the field of counteraction to the mentioned crimes and by assisting in their detection.

(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)

Aircraft Maintenance and Repairs

Uzbekistan ranks among few countries in the region with both cutting-edge air fleet and an engineering platform, which allows maintenance and repair of aircrafts of the most challenging levels. The system is based on the aviation enterprise Uzbekistan Airways Technics that annually tests the crafts of the Uzbekistan Airways and many foreign airlines.

Yet at the dawn of independence the domestic aviators headed for the renewal of the fleet with most advanced western Airbus and Boeing aircrafts. They have entailed an urgent need for regular maintenance. Uzbekistan might go a simple way of paying for the maintenance of its aircrafts in other countries. However, the republic chose a more complicated but progressive way of establishing its own repair facilities that would meet the needs of Uzbekistan Airways, and provided maintenance services to foreign airlines.

The domestic airline was strongly supported by the German Lufthansa Technik AG, one of the world’s leaders. A cooperation agreement was signed in 1993. Under the agreement, Uzbek specialists underwent training in Germany, and the repair facility was equipped with all the spare parts needed. In addition, Lufthansa experts helped to develop a strategy of entering international markets and develop a portfolio of potential customers.

A maintenance center for western technologies was established in Tashkent in 1997. Next year, assisted by professionals of Airbus-Boeing shop of aviation and technical complex, the domestic specialists completed a C-check on an Airbus 310 of the national airline for the first time in Central Asia. Since 1999, they have been performing C-check maintenance on Boeing-767, and since 2000 – on Boeing-757. Over the years, the domestic experts have repaired dozens aircrafts of Russian, Ukrainian and Kazakh companies.

Last year alone, the aviation enterprise provided maintenance to 15 crafts of foreign companies. Uzbekistan Airways Technics is currently providing maintenance to Boeing-757-200 of the Russian airline VIM-avia, its longtime partner. Uzbek specialists will carry out C-check maintenance. After the maintenance is completed the domestic service expects another VIM-avia Boeing-757-200, which will also undergo the C-check.

Empowered by technical facilities and skilled staff, the airline provides all kinds of internationally certified services, including line and basic maintenance and repair of aircrafts.

The domestic aviators anticipate entering the maintenance market of Dreamliners, the most advanced aircrafts. To do this, jointly with Boeing, Uzbekistan Airways Technics is planning to establish a new maintenance center for large aircraft elements made of composite materials. Specialists are currently completing the construction works, and the staff has already undergone specialized training.

(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

REGIONS: Karakalpakstan

New Living Conditions in Karakalpakstan

In January-February, Uzbekistan Today carried a series of articles focusing on the development of Karakalpakstan in the years since independence. Summing up, we would like to once again draw attention to people, who live here, and to draw a demographic and social picture of this part of Uzbekistan. Their lives merit special attention because notwithstanding inclement climatic conditions, they continue to work land, build homes and bring up children.

Karakalpakstan, a region in the northwest of Uzbekistan, is home to nearly 1.8 million people looking confidently into the future and linking their destinies with their home region. The population of this region has been on the rise over the past few years. Around 16 to 18 thousand children are born here annually, which accounts for 1% of the Karakalpaki population. The bulk of the populace lives in rural areas.

More than 222,600 people are engaged in the intangible sector of the economy; they work at educational institutions and in the sphere of healthcare, culture and social protection of the population. Around 178,200 people ply their trade in agriculture, 56,400 – in construction, 52,200 – at industrial companies, 50,200 – in trade and 30,000 are in transportation and other sectors each.

All told, 621,000 local residents are engaged in the real economic sector. They have people to take care of; around 166,000 people in the region are at pension age. But most importantly, Karakalpakstan of today is a country of young people, where 614,900 people, or 34,9% of the population, are children under the age of 18.

As many as 720 general education schools, 35 children’s sports schools and 18 music and art schools operate in Karakalpakstan in an effort to help children discover and hone their skills. Specialists are trained at 109 colleges and lyceums, a pedagogical institute, and a state university. The youth learning skills and gaining knowledge at schools, institutes and universities make up the fresh power that will be a driving force behind the progressive development of the region.

In 2014, over 50,000 jobs were created in the region. Major enterprises moving to create new jobs and home-based jobs provide employment for young people; the most active job providers are representatives of small business and private entrepreneurship. Farming households that are engaged in poultry farming and cattle breeding rank first followed by institutions of social and market infrastructure. Then come industrial companies.

The results of progressive development in the region can be seen in all sectors of the region’s economy.

The region has been actively using land improvement technologies with an eye to increasing soil fertility. This year alone, the Fund for the Amelioration of Irrigated Lands will earmark 10.9 billion soums to cut the amount of subterranean water and reduce soil salinity (currency rates of CB RU from 3.03.2015   1$= 2466.86 soums). A total of twenty projects are expected to be implemented to these ends. The most challenging part is creation of an open collector and an ameliorative pumping installation for removing water from Lake Kuskul in Nukus. The project also envisions erection of an open collector with a length of 4.5 km and an ameliorative pumping station.

Trickle irrigation technologies have also been in broad use in the agrarian sector over the past few years. Several projects aimed at introducing them in horticulture and vegetable growing will be launched in coming years with the active involvement of international partners.

Industrial development has also reaped the benefits of modern technologies. This is evidenced not only in the creation of high-tech production facilities such as the Kungrad Soda Plant, the Usturt Gas-Chemical Complex and the Karakalpak Cement Plant, but also in the activities of multitudinous small enterprises working to produce much-sought-after consumer goods. The bulk of them are furnished with last-generation mini-technologies and robotically assisted equipment that help to perform complex tasks.

…Perhaps, fewer and fewer people have been looking at Karakalpakstan as a natural disaster zone in the wake of the demise of the Aral Sea in recent years. After all, the local people here have long viewed the situation as new conditions for life. By the way, the bottom of the sea has been subject to exploration by oil and gas companies. In addition, the Karakalpaki Research Institute of Natural Sciences is setting up bio-stations while the personnel are exploring the potential of new territories. Specialists are creating a base for cultivating valuable medicinal herbs and producing brine shrimp cysts used as food in farming households. This is also a site of a number of engaging experiments.

In the meantime, we are watching this space for further developments.

(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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