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Business Newsletter
Weeks in Review:
October 1, 2011 - October 14, 2011
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 AUCC in Brief
Established in 1993, the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce (AUCC) is a private, non-profit trade association representing interests of U.S. businesses ranging in size from small private enterprises to large, multinational corporations conducting business in Uzbekistan.
Our Mission: To advocate the views of the business community to ensure that private sector positions are considered during the development of key policies that impact American businesses and the future of U.S.-Uzbekistan relations.
Our Objective: To serve the needs of its members by strengthening commercial relations between the United States and Uzbekistan.
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GM Uzbekistan is among 13 finalists for the 2011 Award for Corporate Excellence
The AUCC is delighted to announce that among 13 finalists, out of 62 original nominations for the 2011 Award for Corporate Excellence, is GM Uzbekistan. The announcement was made by U.S. Under Secretary of State for Economic, Energy, and Agricultural Affairs, Robert Hormats, in Washington, D.C. The award will be presented by Secretary of State, Hillary R. Clinton, in December 2011.
Remarks
Robert D. Hormats
Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs
Washington, DC
October 11, 2011
Hello, I'm Bob Hormats, Under Secretary for Economic, Energy and Agricultural Affairs, and I have the honor of announcing the finalists for the 2011 Secretary of State's Award for Corporate Excellence- also known as the ACE. The ACE has been awarded by the Department of State since 1999 to recognize American companies who are global leaders in corporate social responsibility. American companies are an important face of the United States abroad. They can fulfill an important diplomatic role and contribute to America's overall foreign policy strategy. This year we received many outstanding nominations. 62 U.S. businesses were nominated by U.S. ambassadors around the globe. These nominations reflect the growing number of American firms that have adopted policies that advance good corporate citizenship and democratic principles in the communities in which they work. Of those 62 nominations, 13 finalists, including 4 small-to-medium sized businesses, were chosen by a selection committee of senior officials from across the U.S. government. The 13 finalists for the 2011 ACE are: - Amway in China
- ANOVA Food LLC in Indonesia
- Archer Daniels Midland in Paraguay
- Cargill in India
- General Motors in Uzbekistan
- Grenada Chocolate Company in Grenada
- Intel in Vietnam
- Johnson & Johnson in Russia
- Joy Global Africa in South Africa
- Proctor & Gamble in Nigeria
- Proctor & Gamble in Pakistan
- Sahlman Seafoods in Nicaragua
- Tiger Machinery in Russia
Congratulations to all the finalists. In today's world, our companies can have tremendous impact promoting our values. There are many millions of people around the world who may never have the chance to visit America, but who still may be touched by the example of our businesses. As Secretary Clinton has stated, "Corporate social responsibility and socially responsible development are not marginal to our foreign policy but essential to the realization of our goals." We will continue to highlight U.S. companies engaging in socially responsible activities that complement U.S. foreign policy. On behalf of all of us at the State Department and my colleagues across the U.S. government, I would like to congratulate the 2011 ACE finalists for demonstrating leadership in advancing U.S. values abroad. We all look forward to Secretary Clinton's announcement of the winners at a Ceremony here at the State Department in December. Please continue to visit this site for an announcement of the winners. Thank you.
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Rio Tinto prepared to invest $100 mln in copper exploration in Uzbekistan
www.interfax.com of 10/6/2011
British-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto Ltd. could invest up to $100 million in exploration for copper in Uzbekistan, the company's head of exploration in Central Asia, Chris Welton said at the Uzgeoinvest-2011 conference in Tashkent on Thursday.
Such investment would be possible if positive results are received from the exploration of the Gava property in the Namangan region, the license to which Rio Tinto hopes to receive before the end of 2011, Welton said.
He said the company plans to begin exploration work at Gava in spring 2012. The duration of the license will be five years.
The company plans to spend $1 million in the first year and if positive results are received the company's investments will grow to $100 million, Welton said.
He said Rio Tinto would like to explore for copper in a number of other prospective areas in Uzbekistan. There are plans to hold negotiations on these properties in 2012 with the State Geology and Mineral Resources Committee.
As reported earlier, Rio Tinto in 2011 submitted an application to the Mineral Resources Committee for a license to explore for copper at the Gava property.
About 900 copper mineralizations and deposits have so far been found in Uzbekistan, but only three are being developed: Kalmakyr, Dalneye and Sary-Cheku in the Almalyk district. They are being mined by the Almalyk Mining and Metallurgical Complex, the country's only copper producer.
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American, German ambassadors appraise Uzbekistan's role in solving Afghan problem
www.trend.az of 10/11/2011 Uzbek President Islam Karimov on Tuesday received U.S. Special Representative in Afghanistan and Pakistan Marc Grossman and German Federal Government's Special Representative for Afghanistan, Michael Steiner, the presidential press service said. The diplomats arrived in Tashkent in the framework of the U.S-German initiative to consolidate international efforts to support the economic revival of Afghanistan. During the talks, President Karimov noted the importance and responsibility of their mission in matters of peace and stability in Afghanistan. The diplomats stressed the importance of Uzbekistan's contribution in solving the Afghan problem and assisting Afghanistan in the socio-economic reconstruction. The sides exchanged views on the participation of the international community to achieve national reconciliation in Afghanistan, as well as further development of bilateral and multilateral cooperation between Uzbekistan and the United States and the Federal Republic of Germany. |
| USAID to allocate funds to improve living standards in Uzbekistan
www.trend.az of 10/14/2011
USAID will allocate $33 million to implement programs to improve living standards in Uzbekistan in 2011-2014, USAID Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator Denise Rollinstold journalists on Thursday.
"In 2011, the agency approved a portfolio worth $33 million for Uzbekistan. These funds will be spent within four years through a health, agriculture and combating human trafficking program," Rollins said.
USAID said the agency plans to intensify cooperation with Uzbekistan in the energy sector, agriculture, water resources management system and in the sphere of information technology.
In particular, in late September, USAID launched a new program worth $12.1 million for agricultural development, providing advisory services, implementation of innovative methods of growing new crops in Uzbekistan. The program is designed for four years.
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U.S. issues $4.2mln for Central Asia Counternarcotics Initiative
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs William R. Brownfield said the United States issued $4.2 million for the new partnership program-Central Asia Counternarcotics Initiative, the U.S. Department of State reported.
The Central Asian States also face a significant threat from illicit narcotic drugs transiting the region, Brownfield said at the meeting of the Third Committee of the 66th Session of the UN General Assembly last week.
He recalled that the United States recently announced a new partnership program, the Central Asia Counternarcotics Initiative, to improve the effective investigation, prosecution and conviction of traffickers by counternarcotics agencies in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Brownfield said the United States will work in close cooperation with existing regional programs, including those of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime and the Central Asian Regional Information and Coordination Center.
Washington has unveiled a plan in mid 2011 to help combat the flow of drugs from Afghanistan, through Central Asia, and into Russia.
The plan envisions the establishment of counternarcotics task forces in the five Central Asian countries - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan - which would communicate with similar existing units in Afghanistan and Russia.
The seven groups would share sensitive information, improve coordination on joint and cross-border operations, and help build cases against wanted or arrested traffickers.
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| First ever high-speed train will run between Tashkent and Samarkand
www.eturbonews.com of 10/8/2011
Uzbekistan Railways and JSC Uzzheldoropass announced that the high-speed train, namely Afrosiyob, went on track along the route Tashkent - Samarkand - Tashkent from October 8, 2011.
According to the Uzbekistan Railways, the company has already started selling tickets for the high-speed train, Afrosiyob, that will cover a distance 344 km in two hours. Maximum speed is 250 km per hour. Currently, the high-speed train, "Registan," cover this same distance in 3.5 hours.
The train officially went on track on October 8, 2011, with first trips scheduled for Wednesday and Saturday. From Tashkent, the train departs at 0655 hours Uzbek time, arriving in the city of Samarkand at 0925. The train departs from Samarkand at 1655 hours Uzbek time and arrives in Tashkent at 1933 hours. The fare for the VIP class will around US$40, firstclass fare will be around US$30.
Total capacity is 257 persons. The train will have 2 electric head engines, 8-passenger cars, and 1 dining car. There are places in the train for VIP class, first class, and economic, there are special conditions for disabled people and people with disabilities.
The contract is worth 38 million euros. Uzbekistan Railways financed 50% of the contract value on the acquisition of the high-speed passenger trains. The remaining 50% was financed by a loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan, and refinanced by the National Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of the Republic of Uzbekistan for 10 years, including a grace period - 2 years at an interest rate of 2% per annum, including the refinancing of the bank margin of 0.25%.
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 Contact Information The American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce
1300 I Street, N.W., Suite 720W
Washington, DC 20005
phone: 202.509.3744
info@aucconline.com
www.aucconline.com |
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