Delegation of Uzbekistan to visit France. 1
The Strategy of Actions on Further Development of Uzbekistan.. 4
Uzbek Tigers Beat China Dragons. 6
economy
On April 1, Tashkent is anticipated to host a big international conference, Agro Food Forum 2017. The event will focus on fruit and vegetable processing technologies, and food security
The forum is organized by the General Machinery Group, one of the Central Asia’s largest suppliers of European equipment for fruit and vegetable processing.
“The growing number of participants and guests of our conference proves its high prestige in the food industry, the relevance of the issues raised, and the need for forums in the format of open dialogue. We invite all concerned parties to participate and share their experience within the framework of the Agro Food Forum – 2017,” said the director Furkat Bakhramov,.
The organizers expect the visit of the leading international companies from Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Italy, and the Netherlands. Experts will discuss the ways of improving quality, fruit processing and packaging, yields, quality delivery of products to the customer. They will separately discuss the issues of farm development.
Within the framework of the conference, the participants will be able to share their experience in the selection, installation and operation of advanced technologies, explore various opportunities to increase their export performance. Food security priorities will be of special focus.
The forum will also be a platform for discussing the issues of small businesses and private entrepreneurs, farmers, manufacturers and suppliers of equipment, business consultants and other specific professionals.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
International cooperation
Delegation of Uzbekistan to visit France
On March 28-29, 2017 the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan Abdulaziz Kamilov will pay an official visit to the French Republic.
The program of the visit includes talks in Paris with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development of France Jean-Marc Ayrault, with the leadership of French Development Agency and Movement of the Enterprises of France “MEDEF”, and also participation in a meeting of the ministers of foreign affairs of the Central Asian countries and France.
(Source: Press Service of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
REGIONS
Today in the Syrdarya region, as well as over all our country, large-scale social and economic reforms are carried out
In days of independence the Syrdarya region stretched along coast of the ancient river Saihong became even more beautiful and more modern.
Once fruitless steppe has been developed, the modern cities and villages have appeared.
Under the former system, citizens of Syrdarya region, as well as all population of the republic, had endured many hardships. Production grown up by heavy work was taken out to the center almost for next to nothing . The self-sacrificing people who were working in difficult conditions and, despite it, were achieving high yields, instead of gratitude faced with slanderous accusations of “Uzbek cotton affair”.
Thanks to wise and forward-looking policy of the First President of our country Islam Karimov this land has got prettier, its inhabitants have drawn in great lungful of air of freedom, have begun to receive fruits of the honest labour. The peoples of the Syrdarya tempered by difficulties, having strong will, appreciate the benefits provided by independence and work selflessly for further wellbeing of our country. One of the many examples: after the Dustlik canal running across Gulistan had been concreted, the level of ground waters has sharply decreased. Large-scale work on cleaning of the closed and open sewers, modernizations of vertical drainage wells is done. Tens of new apartment houses have been built and commissioned. Today in any settlement of the region you will be a witness to active construction and repair, improvement work, gardening. People devote each day to creation, wish to make a worthy contribution to the transformations occurred. For example, the new Dehkan and consumer goods markets will be opened soon in Gulistan, social objects, the industrial enterprises, culture and sport establishments are under construction, roads are being repaired and extended. In a word, Gulistan that is translated as “flower garden”, really turns into the blossom city. The Syrdarya region thanks to the economic and social potential holds a special place in economy of our country.
Since 2010 the gross regional product of area has increased by 1,6 times. For the last five years the share of industrial output in structure of a gross regional product has increased by the same amount. Earlier there were almost no industrial enterprises in the region except thermal power plant and the cotton-processing plant. In days of independence in the Syrdarya functioning of modern industries is organized. For the last five years the industry share in a gross regional product has grown from 21 to 28 percent. Syrdarya branch of the “Jizzakh” Free economic zone created at the initiative of the First President of our country plays more and more important role. 66 joint ventures work in the area, 38 of them are organized for the last five years, eight enterprises function in areas where there was no industry earlier.
Dynamic process
The “Automobiler Tamirlash” state joint-stock enterprise stood idle for a long time. It has been sold at zero cost to “Guliston Medtekhnika” Uzbek British joint venture. Domestic and foreign investors have undertaken the obligation to invest $7,3 mln. in production development in the next two years. The attracted investments are directed to the organization of the enterprise activity, construction and repair of facilities, purchase of the modern equipment. 65 people have been employed. Step by step the new types of production were mastered, its activity extended. Now enterprise produces disposable syringes and infusion systems. The head of joint venture Alisher Tuychiboyev, having analysed activity of the moulding, printing, assembling and packing departments has made approximate calculation of volumes of daily production and was satisfied with. If negotiations on delivery of syringes and infusion systems to the CIS countries come to the end successfully, 150 young men and girls would be employed additionally. To provide stable demand for production, it is necessary to conform to the simple rule: to improve its quality and consumer properties, to update goods with the price kept at the previous level. The competition intensifies and the environment changes very quickly in foreign market. To make the goods successful, favorable ratio of quality and the price should be provided. To do this the enterprise should possess big production resources. Accordingly to available data, since 2000 over 2,8 thousand projects worth more than $5,5 bln. dollars are realized within the Program of localization in our country The production about five thousand types of production which earlier was delivered from abroad is mastered. As a result the share of the localized production in the total amount of the industrial output has exceeded 20%.
On December 26, 2016 the President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoev has signed the resolution “About measures for further implementation of perspective projects of localization of production of ready types of products, components and materials for 2017 — 2019”. This document is not only the important guide to action for consecutive continuation of this work, but also has opened new opportunities for many businessmen wishing to produce import-substituting, export-oriented products.
Syrdarya region is also preparing actively for the broad celebration of Nowruz . The cities and districts, makhalla and villages, streets and avenues are being decorated festively, work on improvement and gardening is continued. New gardens and flower gardens are created.
March and April are proclaimed in our country as the months of improvement and gardening. Residents of the area, especially youth, take active part in the work.
According to experts, replenishment of number of green plantings promotes preservation of ecology, prevention of respiratory diseases, the solution of a number of social and economic problems. At the same time soil and climate conditions of the region should be taken into consideration..
For example, the fir-tree in the majority growing in Tian-Shan, Chatkal, Kuramin mountains has a number of useful properties. Its wood is used in construction, workmanship, industry. Essential oils, sugar, resin and organic acids are derived from the bark. Tincture of bark is widely used in traditional medicine as the diuretic, expectorant and digestive remedy.
Considering these features, s pecialists pay attention to landing of the fir-trees, pines, birches and other trees corresponding to climatic conditions of area.
Development and welfare
The Syrdarya region develops progressively.
For the last three-four months tens of the enterprises, including “Sirdaryo best fashion” LLC manufacturing knitted production, “Sokhil ummon baraka” LLC producing reinforced concrete products are successfully put into operation in the area. In total, in the industry, agriculture, services sector and other branches 1499 projects worth Soums (currency rates of CB RU from 28.03.2017, 1$= 3595.02 soums) 1,5 trillion will be realized this year, what will allow to create nearly 22 thousand jobs. Also plans for the next five years based on the tasks of Action Strategy on further development of the Republic of Uzbekistan put forward by the President of our country Shavkat Mirziyoev are announced.
In particular, five investment projects worth in total about $59 mln. will be implemented. For example, in the forthcoming two years production of yarn will be arranged in Saykhunabad district. In the sphere of production of construction materials 147 projects will be carried out. So, this year the “Fayz” joint venture of Syrdarya Region will master output of wood-shaving boards of cotton stalks. Saykhunabad district will arrange production of yarn. It is planned to repair more than ten medical institutions, to equip them with 43 tomography systems, 326 X-ray diagnostic devices, 320 ultrasound diagnostic devices and other modern medical equipment. Yangiyer city, Mirzaabad and Saykhunabad districts in the current year and the Gulistan, Bayaut, Sardob, Havast and Akaltyn districts in 2021 are planned to be excluded from subvention.
How and whereby it will be reached?
For example, it is expected that the Gulistan district will cover completely expenses of own budget due to comissioning of 282 new objects and increase in tax revenues by 27 billion Soums in the nearest years. So, in 2018 the Miles Guliston enterprise as a result of implementation of the project worth 20 mln. dollars will begin manufacturing ten thousand tons of yarn, 15 million square meters of fabric, two thousand tons of tricot a year. “Baraka textile” enterprise in the Gulistan district plans to make and paint 4,5 thousand tons of yarn, to produce ten million square meters of nap fabric.
Much attention is paid to expansion that is a major factor of increase in currency earning. Increase in volume of regional export not less than by 1,2 times, and attraction not less than 30 additional enterprises to export activity is provided. It is provided to reconstruct the Dehkan markets in the Shirin and Yangiyer cities, in Bayaut, Gulistan, Akaltyn, Sardob, Saykhunabad, Syrdarya and Havast districts.
All this is only a part of the economic success achieved in the Syrdarya region, prospects opening for its development, work on further increase in welfare of the population. Also the measures for development of science, education, sport, culture and other spheres are noteworthy. Ensuring interests of the person is the cornerstone of this work.
(Source: «Business partner.uz» newspaper)
The Strategy of Actions on Further Development of Uzbekistan
The Strategy for Actions on the development of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021 provides for the advancement and adoption of 17 laws in the field of state and public construction
This year, the drafts of the concept of administrative reforms and measures for their realization, the laws “On the basics of public administration”, “On administrative procedures”, “On state power in places” and others will be developed as a part of the State Program “Year of Dialogue with the People and of Human Interests”. The development of the law “On public service” in the near future was included in the state program as a separate paragraph.
According to experts, the existing documents regulating the activities of civil service do not fully meet the requirements of today, do not cover the whole complex of issues and do not define common legal standards and administrative-management practices. Among the problems affecting the efficiency of civil servants, experts also note the low level of the modern technologies usage, the absence of integrated personnel policy, the inconsistency of the social and legal status of the public servant with the degree of responsibility assigned to them.
In addition, the legal framework in this area lags far behind the “e-government” system evolving with seven-league steps, the advancement of a range of public services and administrative procedures which in turn directly depend on the state service and the qualifications of employees.
In the current legislation, there are several concepts for designating the personnel of public authorities which vary greatly in scope. The list of public servants which was stated in the government decree from July 3, 1997, contained a number of posts of employees for the ministries and departments, hokimiyats (local administrations), courts, self-government bodies and the prosecutor’s office, but the government decree from March 2, 2016, means only employees of hokimiyats, ministries and departments as civil servants.
The legislation also regulates the activities of elected officials. For example, the status and powers of the deputies of the Legislative Chamber and members of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, the deputies of the Kengashes of people’s deputies of the region, district and city shall be determined. A number of laws define the status of individual state bodies – “On the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Uzbekistan”, “On the public prosecutor’s office”, “On the courts”, “On the state tax service”, “On the state customs service” and others.
“At present, the selection, system of appointment and promotion to higher positions, formation of the personnel reserve, certification of employees do not have unified approaches and are regulated by intradepartmental documents that are inaccessible to the public”, said an independent expert Mirzohid Karshiyev. “At the same time, some state agencies clearly specify the procedure for entering work, including on a competitive basis, for example, in the State Tax Committee. Such approach not only provides an opportunity to make an objective decision, choose the most qualified candidate, create a database for the personnel reserve, but also provides equal opportunities for citizens to work.”
According to the experts, this approach should become one of the points of a single standard for admission to the state service and have a legislative basis.
There is also a need for more detailed regulation for the process of appointing or coordinating candidacies by authorized bodies in ministries and departments, securing its openness. The main tool for personnel assessment is a staff attestation. It identifies the necessity to better the professional and managerial knowledge, suitability of the position, potential for further promotion. The practice shows the need to introduce the qualification assessment of specific indicators in the system which is linked to the provision of public services and the achievement of practical results. At the same time, for example, the population surveys yield good results.
In the current system of public service, the rotation mechanism – the movement of officials horizontally within the state bodies is not sufficiently regulated. In addition, despite the existence of a common tariff scale for state employees, there are a large number of departmental differences and exceptions which significantly influence the final size and level of salaries for officials. And unified approach and common standards are necessary here.
Qualitative changes will not take place in the field of state administration without the creation of an effective preparation system of the personnel who are independent, with a new way of thinking, responsible, self-starter, owned advanced management methods, honest, loyal to their homeland and the people.
Modernization of the public service is very topical for our country. It is a part of the fundamental reform of the public administration system.
(As part of social order of the Oliy Majlis Public Fund for the Support of NGOs and Other Civil Society Institutions)
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Ecology
In the next five years, Uzbekistan intends to improve the situation with the supply of quality potable water
Experts have developed a program of measures to streamline the control, metering and rational use of fresh groundwater resources for 2017-2021.
Under the new procedure, the hydrogeological contraction for drilling wells will be issued exclusively by subordinated hydrogeological enterprises of the State Committee for Geology, and work authorization document will be issued by ACG central agencies since July 1, 2017.
If drilled and operated in violation of the established procedure, the wells are subject to liquidation at the expense of water users and in line with nature protection measures. Water users will be accountable in accordance with the legislation.
It is planned to pay particular attention to the expansion of the network of observation units on state groundwater monitoring in the zones of their formation and in operating deposits, on the territories of trans-boundary aquifers, as well as within industrial and urban agglomerations, large hydraulic structures, irrigation and drainage systems.
By the end of 2021, they will be equipped with 500 automated systems for groundwater monitoring with information and analytical database to enhance the efficiency of operation.
The performance of domestic desalination systems will be studied concurrently in Karakalpakstan, Bukhara, Navoi and Khorezm regions by the end of 2017, with the subsequent full-scale organization of their production.
The staff issue is also on the agenda. The program of measures provides for the organization of staff training in ameliorative hydrogeology at the Tashkent Institute of Irrigation and Melioration, as well as the rehabilitation of the Research and Development Laboratory ‘Meliorative Hydrogeology’ on the basis of the Institute of Hydrogeology and Engineering Geology.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
Tourism
In Uzbekistan experts look into options of building ‘tourist mahallas’ of standard design in the regions
A mechanism of creation of agro-tourist clusters with unique appearance has been actively applied worldwide. In conditions of Uzbekistan, they might be yurt camps, ancient settlements in Khiva, artisan townships in Chust and Margilan, tours along Alexander the Great routes, Buddhist sanctuaries in Surkhandarya.
The authorities currently consider the initiative of construction of standard design tourist mahallas, which will be built in the traditional style with the use of modern construction materials. Rooms will be leased to the farmers who are ready to receive tourists in the framework of rural and ethnographic tours, demonstrating the traditional way of life, crafts and cooking regions.
The creation of sample associations in the form of agricultural ethnic villages on the territory of farms is another interesting area, which is currently studied by related authorities and regional administrations. It is planned to organize tasting sessions of traditional national culinary products – sweets and dried fruits, wine products, fresh vegetables, fruits, grapes and melons, as well as pilav, kebab and other known Uzbek dishes.
It is planned to accumulate all the proposals, and develop a special state program on the development of agricultural and rural tourism within two years.
According to experts, the projects would diversify the tourist product range in Uzbekistan to meet the growing demand in the international market for a variety of tourist services in rural areas. In addition, that would be an important step in providing employment and small business development in the regions.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
sport
Uzbek Tigers Beat China Dragons
The boxing team Uzbek Tigers have confidently defeated China Dragons in the fourth round of Season 7 of the World Boxing Series. All five fights that took place on March 18 in Tashkent ended in favor of the Tigers – 5:0.
In the first match of the evening in the weight category up to 52 kg, the 22-year-old Abrorjon Kadyrov faced the 29-year-old champion of Asia-2011 Chan Yun. The Uzbek boxer completely dominated the battle, inflicted more blows on the opponent, was more precise and more active. As a result, Abrorjon secured victory by a unanimous decision – 3: 0 (50/44, 50/45, 49/46).
The bronze medalist of the 2016 Olympics, the 22-year-old Murodjon Ahmadaliev in weight category under 60 kg fought against the Chinese club’s newcomer Wang Sen, 20. The Chust, Namangan, resident was set for early victory, as he always went forward and put pressure on the opponent, not forgetting to entertain the audience with his tricks. Despite the large number of missed beats, the Chinese athlete persevered until the end of the struggle, but it did not save him from defeat – 3: 0 (50/43, 50/44, 50/44).
The silver medalist of the Olympics-2016 Shahram Giyasov in the category of up to 69 kg entered the ring against the bronze medal winner of the World Cup-2015, the 29-year-old Liu Wei. The 23-year-old native of Bukhara shook the opponent several times, but could not knock him out. As a result, a confident victory was won by Shahram Giyasov, who celebrated it in the style of “the jump of Ronaldo” – 3: 0 (50/42, 50/45, 50/43).
Bektemir Melikuziev in his 20 is the winner of the Youth Olympic Games, silver medalist of the 2016 Olympics, the vice-world champion, champion of Asia and continues to pursue progress in the new weight up to 81 kg. That evening he confronted the 25-year-old Juan Jiabing who did not withstood two full rounds. After a series of heavy blows the referee decided to stop the match in light of a clear advantage of the Uzbek boxer.
The last fight of this match did not last till the end, either. In the heavyweight (over 91 kg) the 22-year-old Bahodir Jalolov in the third round, in view of the clear advantage, defeated the 21-year-old Mu Haipeng.
After the fourth round, the Uzbek Tigers climbed to the second position in Group C with 6 points, the Chinese Dragons have 3 points. The leader with a 100% result is the Kazakhstan club Astana Arlans (12 points), who beat the Russian Patriot Boxing Team (4 points) with score 4: 1.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)
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