April 10, 2015
Islam Karimov Continues to Receive Congratulatory Notes from Abroad. 2
Near Future in the Spotlight 2
APRIL 9 – anniversary of AMIR TEMUR (1336 – 1405) 4
POLICY
Islam Karimov Continues to Receive Congratulatory Notes from Abroad
Heads of state and government, chiefs of international organizations and renowned public figures of foreign nations are continuing to send letters with sincere congratulations and warm wishes to Islam Karimov on his election as President of the Republic of Uzbekistan during the vote that took place on 29 March 2015.
Congratulatory messages have come from:
Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates
Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the UAE, Crown Prince of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi
Sheikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Interior of the UAE
Mohammed VI, King of Morocco
Nawaf Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, Crown Prince of the State of Kuwait
Simonetta Sommaruga, President of the Swiss Confederation
Andrej Kiska, President of the Slovak Republic
Kim Yong-Nam, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
Dmitry Mezentsev, Secretary General of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Iyad Ameen Madani, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation
Abdullah Khoja, Chairman of the Turkestan-American Association
Kim Young-Mok, President of the Korean Agency for International Cooperation (KOICA)
Alisher Usmanov, President of the International Fencing Federation
Fumiya Kokubu, President and Director General, Member of Board of Marubeni Corporation
Mamoru Sekiyama, Corporate Adviser of Marubeni Corporation
Jan-Hendrik Mohr, Chairman of the German-Uzbek Business Council, Member of Board of CLAAS
Luc Tack, Managing Director of Picanol Group
Greeting letters continue to arrive.
(Source: Press-service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
economy
Near Future in the Spotlight
The domestic industry is to face a kind of a turning point. Experts predict a decrease in GDP growth for Central Asian countries in the next few years. This is an echo of the negative dynamics of the Russian economy, an important trading partner of the region. The reduction in export flows might significantly affect the local industry. Therefore, Uzbekistan has taken certain steps not only to mitigate the negative impact on the real economy, and diversify exports. The strategy is based on the program of measures on ensuring structural reforms, modernization and diversification of production for 2015-2019.
CIS expert community has long been looking for a universal mechanism that would promptly stimulate the development of production effectively and optimally. There is a reason behind it, as most of the post-Soviet states faced not just the problems of discontinuity of industrial and supply chains that have been built up for decades, but also the complete absence of key industrial sectors. Being a feedstock for the light industry, Uzbekistan found itself, perhaps, in the least favorable position. The country imported almost all food, electrical and engineering products; it lacked even primary processing of gas, oil, cotton. That is why the 1990s were fairly tough years for the country, and such words as ‘queue’ and ‘deficiency’ were a part of everyday life of the population.
The contemporary generation hardly believes the shots of the chronicle depicting empty store shelves, and long queues for bread or sausage. Today’s consumer is facing another challenge: he has to choose the best suitable product for himself out of the huge variety of products. Thousands of modern enterprises throughout the country, farms, supermarkets and hypermarkets, consumer service centers are backed by the strategy of the real economy development, as based on long-term and targeted programs of industrial development.
The program of measures on ensuring structural reforms, modernization and diversification of production for 2015-2019 has been an expected consequence. The government and domestic expert community had to respond to the evolving situation in the global market with dominating instability. The situation was affected by the decline in energy prices and a slowdown in the Russian economy as the key foreign trade partner of Uzbekistan. It accounts for 1/5 of the total foreign trade turnover of Uzbekistan, and more than half – with the CIS states. In 2013, the volume of bilateral trade exceeded $7 billion.
The huge capacity of the internal market is another promising factor. The growth of welfare and a consequent increase in demand make it attractive for many foreign companies that actively delivered their goods to Uzbekistan in the 2000s by means of aggressive advertising campaigns. Today, the situation has changed dramatically. Domestic manufacturers have long replaced the imported goods in many fields owing to comparable quality and cheaper price. For example, over 90% of food is produced by local enterprises; the similar dynamics has been demonstrated in the building materials industry, the furniture industry. The manufacture of electrical gadgets has been intensively growing.
The new program is designed to catalyze these processes in line with current realities. The document envisages the implementation of 846 investment projects on modernization, technical and technological extension of production totaling more than $40.8 billion. Of these, 711 new initiatives worth $19.6 billion are backed by investors and funding sources, and 135 promising and priority projects worth $21,1 billion will be funded through foreign investments and loans.
Experts expect that the stipulated measures should ensure the average annual growth of gross domestic product by at least 8%, including industrial production – by 9%. The share of industry in GDP is expected to increase from 24% to 27% in 2020. The program promises the further dynamic development of high-tech industries like engineering, oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, textile and food industries, with the increase of their share in the industry from 62% in 2014 to 67% in 2020. It is planned to introduce about 100 new commodity groups and increase the annual production and export capacity of the industry by 18 trillion soums and US $2 billion respectively by 2020(currency rates of CB RU from 10.04.2015 1$= 2496.16 soums).
The majority of projects on modernization, technical and technological renovation of production are scheduled for the fuel and energy complex, chemical, petrochemical and metallurgical industries, as well as 172exploration projects.
For instance, Uzbekneftegaz is planning to upgrade and reconstruct the facilities of Bukhara refinery, construction of a gas and chemical complex in the Mubarek Gas Processing Plant, new hydrocarbon pyrolysis plant on the basis of Ustyurt feedstock, the fourth line of the Uzbekistan-China pipeline, expansion of the Uzbekhimmash plant to launch the production of bulky large-scale oil and gas chemical equipment and plastic shops, purchase of high-tech equipment for exploration, and much more.
With regard to the chemical industry, the program envisages the establishment of the production of complex fertilizers and potassium sulfate at Samarkandkimyo, polyvinyl chloride and methanol at Navoiazot, automobile and agricultural tires, conveyor belts in the Angren Special Industrial Zone. Under the program, Uzbekenergo will start the expansion of Navoi TPP with the construction of the second combined-cycle plant with a capacity of 450 MW, and the upgrade of the cascade of the Lower Bozsu HPPs, Farkhad HPP and the Tashkent HPP Cascade.
The document envisages a total of 77 promising projects for mechanical engineering, automotive and electrical industry, and product standardization. By 2019, the projects should give way to the establishment of new and expansion of existing production facilities on the manufacture of import-substituting types of agricultural machinery, trucks, parts and accessories jointly with technology leaders. For instance, Uzavtosanoat is planning to establish a cabs manufacture and localize the production of parts for industrial vehicles at the joint venture of MAN AUTO Uzbekistan and UZAUTOTRAILER, upgrade technological equipment at Jizzakh Battery Factory, establish the production of aluminum and plastic parts and components for brake systems of Gentra , Spark, Cobalt and T250 cars, and much more. The Joint Stock Company Uzeltehsanoat will carry out 39 new investment projects totaling $268.5 million.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
APRIL 9 – anniversary of AMIR TEMUR (1336 – 1405)
A solemn event dedicated to the 679th anniversary of Sahibkiran was held in the metropolitan park named after Amir Temur.
In Uzbekistan, special attention is paid to honouring the memory of Amir Temur, deep study and promotion of his life and work.
By tradition, a solemn event dedicated to the 679th anniversary of Sahibkiran was held in the metropolitan park named after Amir Temur on April 9. Writers and poets, scientists, students, representatives of the general public participated in it.
Chairman of the Amir Temur International Foundation N.Khabibullaev, doctor of historical sciences D.Yusupova, a member of the national team of Uzbekistan in chess, international grandmaster N.Muminova and others spoke in the event.
Sahibkiran was the founder of a powerful state, patron of science, culture and spirituality, the great creator who have made invaluable contribution to the development of world civilization.
The interest in enquiring into the rich heritage left by Amir Temur and the Temurids in the sphere of national statehood, promotion of science, culture, creativity and other areas has been growing steadily throughout the globe. Numerous artistic and socio-political works are being created in Uzbekistan and abroad and academic conferences are organized to address the input made by the Temurids into the development of world civilization. All this has been instrumental in discovering novelties in the personality of the Sahibkiran Amir Temur and his epoch.
As noted the head of our state, one who wants to understand the strength and power of the Uzbek people, their justice, infinite possibilities, huge contribution to the development of humanity and its future, must remember the image of Amir Temur. The noble principles of our great ancestor, which underlie the construction of a powerful state, a fair society, of cementing the atmosphere of generosity and kindness in the society, of ensuring the wellbeing of the population have turned into a major criterion today in the social and economic life of our native land.
This year, announced at the initiative of the head of our state as the Year of Care for the Senior Generation, these noble efforts in this direction have got even large scale.
People’s artist of Uzbekistan Afzal Rafiqov read the monologue of Amir Temur, the young poet Fahriddin Khayit – poem dedicated to Sahibkiran.
Those gathered for the event laid wreaths to the Amir Temur monument.
State Advisor to the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Kh.Sultonov, Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan A.Ikromov took part in the occasion.
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Later the day, the State Museum of the History of the Temurids hosted a scientific conference “The universal importance of the development of science and culture in the era of Amir Temur”.
The winners of the competition “Amir Temur – through the eyes of young artists” were awarded. The exhibition of “Shohruhiya – monument of creation of the Temurids ‘ epoch” opened.
Events dedicated to the 679th anniversary of Amir Temur, are being held in the Republic of Karakalpakstan and in all regions.
(Source: UzA)
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