April 13, 2015
The solemn inauguration of the President of Uzbekistan.. 2
Islam Karimov’s Speech during the Inaugural Ceremony at the Joint Session of Oliy Majlis Houses 2
From ‘Screwdriver’ to Localization. 5
The turnover of securities market of Uzbekistan in the first quarter made 257.4 bln soums. 6
may 9, remembrance and honor day.. 7
The solemn inauguration of the President of Uzbekistan
President-Elect Islam Karimov Assumes Office during a Ceremonial Occasion at the Joint Session of Oliy Majlis
A solemn ceremony of inauguration of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan took place 10 April in Tashkent at a joint session of both chambers of the Oliy Majlis.
The event was attended by members of government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, heads of ministries and other agencies, members of the Central Election Commission, chiefs of diplomatic missions of foreign nations and representatives of international organizations, national and foreign mass media.
Mirza-Ulugbek Abdusalomov, chairman of the Central Election Commission, opened the joint session. According to him, the results of presidential elections that took place on March 29, 2015, have demonstrated that Islam Abduganievich Karimov is elected President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. On behalf of those gathered in the grand hall and all the voters, chairman of the Central Election Commission cordially congratulated Islam Karimov on his election to the post of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan and handed Islam Karimov an identity card of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
In accordance with Article 92 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, President Islam Karimov took an oath of the following content: “I do solemnly swear to faithfully serve the people of Uzbekistan, to strictly follow the Constitution and laws of the Republic, to guarantee the rights and freedoms of its citizens, and to conscientiously exercise the duties vested on the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.”
That was followed by the sounds of the State Anthem of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov delivered an inaugural speech at the solemn occasion.
After the speech, the chairing official announced the joint meeting of both houses of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan complete.
The elections of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan have displayed again that our people widely support the policies of the state and the socio-economic reforms. By taking active part in this important political process, the voters have cast their ballot for peace in the country, wellbeing of the people and the great future of our Motherland.
(Source: Press-service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
Islam Karimov’s Speech during the Inaugural Ceremony at the Joint Session of Oliy Majlis Houses
Dear compatriots, distinguished deputies of the Oliy Majlis!
Esteemed guests!
It is a great pleasure to me, appealing to you – deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate of Oliy Majlis – and in your person to the entire people of Uzbekistan, to express my sincere gratitude to all our compatriots who have placed a high confidence in me by electing as President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
I would take this opportunity to extend my deep respect and esteem to you, my dear ones, and wish sound health, happiness and wellbeing.
I consider the confidence placed in me first of all as a tremendous responsibility and a great honor, and I would like to assure you again that I will do my best and devote my life to meet such an incomparable high trust of the nation.
Dear friends!
Having completely rejected the old obsolete totalitarian system and having become the masters of our own destiny, we have set such important goals before ourselves as building of a new democratic state and civil society, a free and prosperous life inferior to no one in anything. Today, as a result of wide-ranging transformation and reforms being undertaken by us consistently on this path, we have made such enormous achievements that no one can disprove.
The most critical factor of all our accomplishments has been indisputably the evolutional and gradual development course chosen by us that is built on the renowned five principles and recognized in the world as the Uzbel Model of reforms, and the life itself confirms today how correct this path has been.
The advantages and effectiveness of our model of development are supported by the fact that it takes into a comprehensive account all the natural, historical, national, demographic and environmental peculiarities of Uzbekistan, and it has completely justified itself in practice.
For instance, when speaking of agriculture, we have placed priority significance on the promotion of farmer movement that is based on leasehold land use. And we supported this process with all our effort, and owing to these very endeavors the farmer movement will leave a bright trace in our newest history, one can assert with all confidence. Currently, our farmer enterprises not only account for 90-92 percent of all agricultural products in the country, but they also are growing into a socio-political movement that assumes responsibility for the development and future of our rural areas.
Or, take small business and private entrepreneurship. It currently accounts for 56 percent of the gross domestic product of the country and employs 75-77 percent of all the workforce of the nation.
Without any doubt, our achievements that are reflected in such brilliant indicators and figures will happen to be a potent impetus for the enhancement of reforms spearheaded by us, turn into robust bedrock for the coming days and the future advancement of the country.
Today we can state without any hesitation that owing exactly to the implementation of such reforms are we securing sustainable development rates in Uzbekistan’s economy. In the last 10 years, the gross domestic product growth rates of the nation have annually exceeded 8 percent. Taking into consideration that, in our estimates, these rates will be preserved at these levels in the year 2015, as well, I believe everything becomes even more obvious.
In this regard, one cannot but say that all our immense accomplishments are built, first and foremost, on the cardinal transformation of the consciousness and mindset as well as the growth in the political and legal culture of our people. These achievements have also been possible thanks to the selfless and courageous nation who has endured myriads of thorny paths in its history. Crucially, our most reliable support is our youth who has confidently been entering life as a decisive force that wields modern knowledge and professions, who thinks independently and in new manner, and who is capable of assuming a responsibility for the future of the native land.
Along with this, I would like us to not forget about an important truth.
If we get satisfied with the accomplishments and undertakings we have made, give ourselves up to complacency and euphoria, we may make a big, one can say an unforgivable, blunder.
We are all well aware that the world evolves and does not stay intact, especially if we take into account that we live in the 21st century, an era of intellectual labor, internet and globalization, while the speedily changing times constantly remind us about that.
The ongoing financial and economic crisis in the world, the ever mounting competition and confrontation, the growing threats and challenges like radicalism, terrorism and extremism demand that we all embark, first of all, on even greater cohesion, greater mobilization of our efforts and abilities.
Indisputable as it is, the wide-ranging works undertaken by us today include the most pressing challenge, namely, acceleration and elevation of the effectiveness of democratic reforms cardinally changing our lives.
When we speak of this, of particular importance for us is the elimination of stereotypes inherited from the totalitarian regime, solution of all the variety of issues still present, consistent realization of laws passed by us and the further enhancement of reforms undertaken.
In the first place, we should take the reforms in the sphere of securing the freedom of speech and information, human rights and freedoms to a new, higher level, as well as in the perfection of judicial system, development of civil society institutions, and it ought to be noted that much remains to be done on these fronts.
It is by no means a secret to anyone that if we do not provide for the competitiveness of our economy, that is, modernization and diversification of manufacturing sectors and fields, their technical and technological renewal, the global market – and potentially the internal one – will cease to accept the goods produced by us.
We should all be aware of this truth.
Thus, if we care for the coming days, care for our future, it should be admitted frankly that without the further enhancement of wide-scale reforms spearheaded in our economy, first and foremost the structural transformation, by not addressing the issue concerning its elevation to a new modern level, it is impossible to speak of achieving our most critical goal, namely, to join the ranks of the highly advanced democratic nations.
The key task for us should become the removal of all obstacles and restrictions on the way of promoting private property and private entrepreneurship, which are assigned, as it is stipulated in our Constitution, a priority sphere of the country’s multi-sector economy.
It should be stressed that for the past years we have undertaken (and still are undertaking) wide-ranging efforts to set up a robust normative-legal base and reliable guarantees dedicated to the protection of private property and private owners, including the provision of privileges and preferences for small business and private entrepreneurship entities.
Nonetheless, notwithstanding the advantages of private property that we all know vis-à-vis the public property, the works undertaken on this front, unfortunate as it is, have been unable to address completely the issue of providing the private owners with necessary freedom and the endeavors have hardly produced expected results.
It is for this very reason that we should reduce the share and level of government presence in the economy to strategically and economically reasonable sizes.
Another challenge we face is that it is essential to get rid of any forms of administrative-command system and its remnants, and clearly distribute the tasks and powers among public bodies, business and the private sector, switch to the system of market exchange in trade operations, except for retail commerce.
Along with this, corresponding corrections should also be introduced to the activities of our corporate or stock-holding associations with an eye to the practice of leading foreign firms and companies.
Our practical experience has shown that for Uzbekistan, the most effective, ultimate version that has justified itself is the one whereby foreign investors become shareholders along with local ones. Its advantage is in the fact that investors-founders from abroad, apart from equipment of joint ventures with high-technology hardware and machinery, introduce also contemporary methods of organization and management of production.
In this respect, I would like to reiterate that we are open for the further development of cooperation with other nations and foreign companies and that we are willing to set up new, wider opportunities and conveniences for that.
The steadfast enhancement of cardinal reforms undertaken currently and outlined for the year 2015 and the subsequent period, preservation of sustainable rates of economic growth will undoubtedly serve for a qualitative improvement of the structure of public governance and the significant elevation of the competitiveness of our economy, and for Uzbekistan to acquire a worthwhile place on the world arena.
Dear friends, compatriots!
I deem it essential to expound on another rather important issue that we all feel concerned about.
We live in a disquieting, increasingly strained time, amid the mounting diverse threats and challenges that can lead to unpredictable consequences.
Taking this all into account, in order to maintain the peace and harmony reigning today in our country, the welfare and prosperity of our nation, inviolability of our borders, we ought to regard it as our foremost objective to further consolidate friendly relations and mutually advantageous cooperation with countries of near and far abroad.
I think it my duty to declare once again that Uzbekistan will never accede to any military-political blocs, let foreign military bases to its soil, and its military servicemen and women to be deployed abroad.
In the intricate situation unfolding around us, we deem this very posture, this very policy the most adequate for us and the only correct one. As I have said before, our people need first and foremost peace and calmness, and that we should struggle for it to be achieved.
Taking the opportunity I am offered, allow me to express deep gratefulness on my behalf and on behalf of our entire people to all foreign guests, states and international organizations, to their representatives present here in this hall, who offer us support and assistance, consolidate friendly relations and mutually advantageous interaction with us.
I extend earnest gratitude to heads of states, political and public figures who have sent their congratulatory letters on my election as President of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
I bow to our people time and again, to the nation who has placed a high confidence in me.
To serve our noble and generous people with devotion and selflessness, with son’s love is truly a high honor and the greatest happiness for me.
I wish you all, my dear ones, peace and wellbeing, every success and the best of luck!
(Source: Press-service of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
economy
From ‘Screwdriver’ to Localization
Uzbekistan’s industrial policy has always been distinguished with its focus on the future. Our country for over 15 years goes along the road of developing import substitution and product localization, using various mechanisms. This tendency has been grasped by many CIS countries in recent years. One of them comes to the establishment of cooperative links between related enterprises that create sustainable production chains, and consequently allow producing high quality and competitive goods, which substitute imported counterparts and actively explore foreign markets.
Last week marked the kick-off of the first stage of the Ninth International Industrial Fair and Cooperation Exchange (IIFCE). It is, perhaps, the major exhibition event not just for the domestic import substitution and localization, but also for the entire real economy. Its relevance can hardly be overestimated. This platform brings together thousands of domestic and foreign entrepreneurs in different sectors, where people share experiences and best practices, build plans, seek for opportunities and joint projects.
The event is traditionally divided into two stages. This year, the territorial industrial fairs have started in April, and will continue in the regions until June 14. Samarkand region and Karakalpakstan have become the first sign.
The Sectoral Industrial Fair opened its doors in the capital yesterday to present the products of companies and organizations of the Complex on culture, education, health and social protection. Five more complexes will demonstrate their achievements in the Uzexpocenter halls until mid-June, while the top event, the Ninth International Industrial Fair and Cooperation Exchange will take place in October 2015/
“Every year, we participate in the trade fair and sign contracts for the purchase of products directly with manufacturers,” said Head of the Zarmitan Bunyodkor private enterprise Bekmurad Jamolov. “Here we can learn about many enterprises, compare the quality, price and other parameters of products. We have made contracts with several organizations, for instance, we agreed with Asl Nafis on the purchase of porcelain.”
In the first phase, small and big enterprises get the opportunity of presenting their products, learning about production innovations, achievements of related industries and companies, identifying the needs in the materials and components for the near future. Upon completion of regional stages, the participants will conclude contracts of intentions on the development of new kinds of products.
At the second stage, the contracts will be transformed into supply agreements, and manufacturers will make order portfolio for the next year. In between these two stages, the enterprises will practice the production of new products, manufacture pilot batches, as well as conform with the customers and bring specifications in line with the required quality.
Under IIFCE, the country’s leading industrial enterprises will hold presentations on cooperation proposals to draw an optimally complete picture of possible cooperation. The annual IIFCE catalog of industrial production in Uzbekistan will introduce the participants to the products and services, as well as imported goods. The electronic version of the publication is available at www.cooper.uz , with an opportunity of registering a company on it.
Previous international industrial fairs and cooperative exchanges have demonstrated the growing interest of domestic enterprises and foreign partners to industrial cooperation, to the establishment and development of cooperation in the supply and procurement of goods, establishment of manufactures and development of new kinds of products. For instance, more than 3,800 companies presented more than 19,000 types of products last year in the first phase of IIFCE, which resulted in signing economic supply contracts worth more than 890.5 billion soums and export contracts worth $260 million. The second stage was represented by over 1,700 domestic enterprises, companies and organizations that exhibited more than 20,000 items of finished products, components and materials in such industries as mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, construction industry, metallurgy, chemistry, oil and gas, food and light industry, pharmaceuticals, and others(currency rates of CB RU from 13.04.2015 1$= 2496.16 soums).
Experts note that the current realities of the global economy have been increasingly motivating enterprises to the development of import substitution and localization. Imported components are growing in price, thus increasing the final product cost. In such circumstances, the domestic producers get a significant competitive advantage and hence, the additional revenue, using the domestic resources.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
The turnover of securities market of Uzbekistan in the first quarter made 257.4 bln soums
According to the Republican stock exchange (RSE) “Toshkent” and the Central Depository for securities, the aggregate turnover of the market of shares and corporate bonds of Uzbekistan in the first quarter of 2015 amounted to 257.4 billion soums, which exceeds the same period of 2014 by 200.7 billion soums. Hereby the volume of transactions in the secondary market amounted to 117.9 billion soums or 45.8% of the total volume of trading on the securities market(currency rates of CB RU from 13.04.2015 1$= 2496.16 soums).
The volume of registered share transactions on the trading floors of the RSE and JSC “Elsis-Savdo” amounted to 54.97 billion soums, including:
– the primary market 9.1 billion soums;
– on the secondary market – 45.89 billion soums.
Overall, the volume of transactions concluded on the organized market exceeds the indicator of the I quarter of last year by 4.2 times (42.07 billion soums), due to the transition to electronic conclusion and processing of transactions, reduction of tariffs on exchanges and the Central depository, as well as improving the mechanism of pricing (quotation) and disclosure.
It is expected that the government reforms aimed at reduction of the state share in enterprises of the real sector will serve as a significant impetus to boost the stock market and will allow attracting in the economy of the Republic the necessary investments.
(Source: UzReport.uz)
may 9, remembrance and honor day
Feat, Duty, Perseverance
In accordance with the Decree of the President “On the preparation and holding of the national holiday of the Day of Memory and Honor”, this year the holiday will be celebrated under the motto “Jasorat, Burch, Matonat.”
On the eve of May 9, the medal awarding ceremony will be held across the country, as veterans of war and labor front of 1941-1945 will be awarded commemorative anniversary medal “Ikkinchi Jakhon urushidagi G’alabaning 70 yilligi” (70th anniversary of Victory in World War II) and one-off money reward.
The educational institutions and military units will hold the events called “Meeting of Generations,” “Attention and Care for Older Generation,” “Reverence and Respect,” with the participation of veterans to foster in the youth a sense of love for the country and respect for the older generation.
The higher educational institutions will participate in the Republican Scientific and Practical videoconference “There Is No Future Without Historical Memory.” The Veterans will be invited to the educational institutions across the country to participate in the “Lessons of Peace.”
On the eve of the holiday the youth and the military will visit the War Memorial, the State Museum of History of Uzbekistan Museum of the Armed Forces, and the Museum of Victims of Political Repressions.
The decree provides for the implementation of measures to provide the veterans of war and labor front of 1941-1945 with an in depth health assessment, provide qualified medical care by offering them vouchers for the treatment at multi-profile clinics and specialized scientific-practical medical centers, research institutes, through providing them with free assistance of medical staff for constant care and providing health care at home.
The veterans will be given first aid kits, drugs prescribed by doctors for the treatment on an outpatient basis. The government also plans to provide veterans of war and labor front of 1941-1945 with the targeted humanitarian assistance, wheelchairs, prosthetic and orthopedic appliances and rehabilitation tools for people with disabilities.
Everything will be done to make the veterans feel full support, attention and care of the state.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Science
Exceeding Expectations
Uzbekistan Today has previously reported that several years ago Uzbek scientists from the Center for Genomics and Bio-information created a new brand of cotton, porloq, with the help of an original Uzbek technique for knocking out a gene responsible for absorbing red and far-red light. In terms of its characteristics – drought resistance, early maturation and fiber quality – it surpasses many mid-fibrous varieties that are cultivated not only in Uzbekistan, but also beyond its confines. In terms of quality, it is comparable to Egyptian long-fiber cotton. The area of land for the cultivation of this type of cotton has also increased from 17,000 to 46,000 hectares. Professionals in the United States and Uzbekistan have launched new research to study porloq.
The United States
The interest of American scientists in this Uzbek variety of cotton is attributed to a major drought that hit California in 2014 and led to a decrease in planting SJV Aсala, a variety of cotton that provides high-quality long fibers. There have been murky predictions regarding this brand of cotton for 2015 as well. Therefore, Cotton Incorporated busied itself looking for better varieties or techniques that would help create this kind of cotton. Americans caught whiff of the Uzbek development in a publication in the magazine Nature Communications. However, American breeders decided to go “trust but verify”.
Experimenters sowed the nine most popular American varieties of cotton and a gene-knockout variety from which a new variety, porloq, was produced in Uzbekistan. They were surprised to discover that the knocked-out gene series ripens nearly 20 days earlier than American brands. Thus, the researchers selected the brand created by Uzbek scientists as the winner in terms of drought resistance, maturation and fiber quality.
But the most important experiments aimed at singling out quality characteristics of the local brand are in progress. Hake Kater writes that they analyzed ten samples from sacks of fiber provided for experiment. These fibers of porloq cotton are on a par with SJV Acala brand cotton fiber, cultivated in California.
Presently, American specialists are engaged in research on the performance of fiber produced from porloq cotton brand following industrial processing. Regarding preliminary conclusions made by American specialists, Cutter writes that fibers of porloq-1 brand is of a very high quality and, as a rule, through combing and spinning it is possible to get high-quality yarn. Kater attached to one of his letters a comparative table of characteristics, which reveal the advantages of the Uzbek brand in all characteristics that are important for yarn and fabric makers.
Uzbekistan
Research under way in Uzbekistan was initiated by the developer of porloq, Ibrohim Abdurahmonov. Speaking of cotton, he said: “Cotton is not just a source of fiber; cotton seeds are used to produce vegetable oil used in cooking while schrot (meal) flakes, which appear in the process of making oil, is used by farmers as food for domestic animals. Therefore, we launched research that will help test products made from this brand for safety. Theoretically, they are as good as products from other varieties of cotton. But to be fully convinced, we want to get scientifically substantiated data.”
The research is being done by the Institute of Bio-organic Chemistry affiliated with the Academy of Sciences of Uzbekistan, institutions of the Sanitary and Epidemiological Control at the Ministry of Health and the Research Institute of Veterinary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Economy. The research is supported and funded by the Committee for the Coordination of Science and Technology Development.
The tests are being conducted in two areas. Cotton oil is being tested in laboratories for elements that are harmful to human health. One is focused on the safety of oil and schrot as products made from plants with knocked out genes. The other is testing the properties of products on animals. Scientists have promised to publicize preliminary results at the end of 2015.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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