American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce
BUSINESS NEWSLETTER
  
Week in Review:

June 28, 2013 - July 5, 2013
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2013 Marks AUCC 20th Anniversary

Since 1993 the American-Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce has been at the forefront of advancing trade and business relations between the US and the Republic of Uzbekistan. AUCC prides itself in catering to the needs of our members, providing them with a platform to interact with policy makers in the US and the Republic of Uzbekistan and ensuring that bilateral commercial relations continue to be on the governments' top agenda.   

 

For the last twenty years AUCC has been a vigorous advocate of the views of the business community to ensure that private sector positions are considered during the development of policies that impact American businesses and the future of U.S.-Uzbekistan relations.    

 

We are delighted that today AUCC is a well-known organization that is recognized for its strength and ability to work closely with a great number of partner organizations. AUCC enjoys excellent working relations with the Embassy of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Washington, D.C., the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Uzbek ministries, associations and organizations as well as the executive and legislative branches of the U.S. AUCC also coordinates its efforts with a great number of international financial institutions, business councils and other professional organizations.

If your company is interested in joining AUCC, please contact our office at 202-509-3744 or [email protected].  We invite you to be part of our organization and participate in our activities and events.   

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In This Issue:
AUCC IN BRIEF
Uzbekistan Airways receives fourth Boeing 767-300ER
Agreements on Uzbek-Chinese $100 million investment projects signed in Tashkent
Uzbek President receives minister of Security of South Korea
Uzbekistan has launched single portal of interactive public services
Uzbekistan, Australia discuss prospects of cooperation
Iran, Uzbekistan to develop bilateral ties
Asian Development Bank: Housing for Integrated Rural Development Improvement Program - Tranche 2

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.

trend.az  

 

Uzbekistan Airways, Uzbek national air carrier, has received the fourth Boeing-767-300ER Extended Range aircraft, an airline representative told Trend on Wednesday.

This is the last of four Boeing-767-300ER aircraft purchased by the Uzbek airline in 2008.

The first two of four Boeing 767-300ER aircraft, an order for which was placed by the airline in 2008, were received in February 2012. The third one was received in May this year.

The contract with Boeing to buy four Boeing-767-300ER and two Boeing-787-800 Dreamliner aircraft as well as a contract with Airbus Industrie for the purchase of ten A-320-200 aircraft was signed in 2007-2008. The total contract value amounts to $1.027 billion, including the cost of the contract with Boeing - $577.5 million.

Funding for the purchase of new equipment is provided by the airline (10 percent of all aircraft) as well as loans from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development of Uzbekistan (50 percent) and foreign banks (40 percent).

In accordance with the approved schedule, in 2012-2013, the company will receive four Boeing-767-300ER aircraft with PW 4062 engines with a total value of $347.6 million, in 2013-2014 - four A-320-200 aircraft with CFM-56-5B engines worth $190.9 million, in July-August 2016 - two Boeing-787-800 Dreamliners with GENX-1B64 engines worth $230.4 million.

The start of deliveries of Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner aircraft has not yet been reported.

In December 2011, a contract was completed for the supply of 10 A-320-200aircraft purchased from Airbus Industrie.

Currently, the company's fleet consists of 30 western aircraft, including 12 Boeing (four 767-300 and five 757-200 and three 767-300ER), thirteen Airbus (three A-310 and ten A-320-200), three medium-RJ-85 and two cargo Airbus A300-600F.

The airline also operates six Il-114-100 aircraft. A new generation Russian equipment has been installed on a modified IL-114-100 aircraft along with the latest American Rockwell Collins avionics, Canadian Pratt & Whitney aircraft engines, Hamilton Sundstrand (USA) propellers and the auxiliary power unit of Honeywell (USA).

In 2013, the airline also plans to get the last of the IL-114-100 seven aircraft manufactured by TAPOiCH. Currently, the airline operates six IL-114-100 aircraft.

Uzbekistan Airways NAC is the monopoly air carrier in Uzbekistan, wholly owned by the state. Uzbek airline operates flights to 21 cities in Europe, America, Middle East, Asia and in 22 of the CIS countries and in 11 directions on local airlines.

In 2012, the airline increased the transportation of passengers by 13.5 percent to 2.636 million passengers compared to 2011, whereas freight volumes fell by 17 percent to 40,000 tons.

trend.az  

 

Agreements on the implementation of 21 investment projects worth over $100 million were signed during the Uzbek-Chinese Investment Forum Special Industrial Zone Jizzak, as being a unique investment opportunity for Chinese companies in Tashkent, the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade told Trend on Thursday.

In particular, the Uzbekenrgo State Joint Stock Company signed an agreement on implementing the solar water heating system (collector) production project with Hangzhou Zhongwu Electronic Meters Company Limited and an agreement on establishing a joint venture for the production of energy-efficient LED lighting products with Hangzhou Liang Liang Electronic Lighting Co., Ltd.

The Uzbektelecom Joint Stock Company signed an agreement on the joint implementation of the 'Production of video and IP-phones' project with ZTE Corporation.

A similar agreement on the project 'telecommunications equipment production' with Jiangsu Zhongtian Technology Co., Ltd., an agreement on the project to organise an interactive e-board and telecommunication equipment production (OLT for GPON network, ONT subscriber terminal, mini MSAN Subscriber Concentrator) with Huawei Technologies Co Ltd and an agreement on a project to organise the production of industrial modems for electricity and gas meters and banking terminals with AsiaTelco Technologies Co.

The Uzbeklegprom State Joint Stock Company signed an agreement with Nanyang Red Cotton Angel Textile to establish a textile equipment service centre and an agreement on implementing a project to create a textile complex for the dyed yarn and garment production with Nanyang Mulanhua Textile was drawn up.

The Uzfarmprom State Joint Stock Company signed an agreement on the joint production of pharmaceutical ingredients with the Kunming Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd.

The agency's interlocutor said that all projects will be implemented in the Jizzak special industrial zone set up in the Jizzakh region (central part of Uzbekistan) in March this year.

It was previously reported that this zone was created by a presidential decree in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding on the establishment of an Uzbek-Chinese industrial park in the country to set up modern high-tech industrial facilities.

The Jizzak special industrial zone can operate for 30 years with the possibility of extension. There will be a special tax clause and customs privileges in its territory during this period.

The Uzbek-Chinese investment forum was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade and the Uzinfoinvest agency together with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce. Around 300 representatives from Chinese companies attended.

trend.az  

 

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on Tuesday has received the Ministry of Security and Public Administration of South Korea Yoo Jeong-bok, National News Agency of the Republic (UzA) reported.

Islam Karimov said that the visit of Yoo Jeong-bok is a manifestation of the commitment of the leadership of South Korea to all-round development of mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan, UzA reported.

During the meeting the sides discussed issues of Uzbek-Korean cooperation in the field of information and communication technologies (ICT).

In recent years, the ICT sector is a priority direction in the cooperation between the two countries. During the state visit of President Islam Karimov to Korea in September 2012 was signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of information.

There was adopted government program for the integrated development of information and communication systems of Uzbekistan for 2013-2020, which outlines goals such as the provision of opportunity to carry out liaison with government authorities in electronic form, the introduction of the "single window" in governmental system.

It becomes important to establishment of joint ventures in this direction for the development of the necessary software products and information systems, collaboration to improve the skills of officials in public administration.

Yoo Jeong-bok noted that Korea, including the Ministry of Security and Public Administration, is interested in developing long-term mutually beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan in all spheres.

Currently, South Korea as one of the leading investors in the economy of our country is the biggest trade partner of Uzbekistan in the Asia-Pacific region.

At the end of 2012 the volume of trade increased by 31 percent - up to $ 2.1 billion, the volume of Korean investments in Uzbekistan's economy has exceeded six billion dollars.

There are 401 joint ventures established with Korean businessmen, opened 88 representative offices of large companies in Uzbekistan.

trend.az  

 

A single portal of online government services at my.gov.uz was launched in a test mode in Uzbekistan, the press-service of State Committee for Communication, Informatization and Telecommunication Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan reported on Monday.

The single portal offers interactive government services to public and business entities through a single access point in real time mode.

The single portal was established in accordance with the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers "On measures for further improvement of the governmental web portal of the Republic of Uzbekistan with the provision of online public services", which was adopted at the end of 2012.

The implementation of the project is an important step in the formation and development of the "electronic government".

Currently, about 60 services are being provided through the single portal in the test mode, including services for reception, registration and consideration of applications for connecting fixed line telephone services and the Internet for legal and physical persons, obtaining information of the state tax services on the lack of tax liabilities, obtaining licenses in the sphere of telecommunication, which are available in automatic mode.

In addition, the services on sending applications for obtaining appropriate licenses in various spheres are provided for entrepreneurs.

Through the single portal the citizens and business entities may also submit an appeal to the bodies of state and economic management of state authorities at the local level.

One of the main components of the single portal is the "Statistics" module, which provides the topical information on the status of consideration of applications and users' requests by the government bodies.

This module will contribute to further provision of transparency and openness of the activity of government bodies and to increasing the efficiency of cooperation between the government bodies and the population of the republic.

"The developers are open to suggestions of citizens, business entities and government bodies on further improvement of the single portal," the press service of the committee said.

trend.az  

 

The delegation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia headed by Ambassador William Fischer and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan discussed topical issues of international and regional affairs on Monday, the Foreign Ministry of Uzbekistan said.

During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on further expanding cooperation in various specific areas of mutual interest.

Despite the geographical distance, Uzbekistan and Australia have expressed mutual interest in deepening cooperation all-around, particularly with regards to trade, the economy and investment.

Uzbekistan is interested in bringing modern Australian practices and technologies to its agricultural sector, as well as energy saving technology, equipment production as well as projects within the Navoi Free Industrial-Trade Zone (FITZ).

Currently, there are ten enterprises backed by Australian capital in Uzbekistan, including three enterprises fully owned by Australian capital that work in agriculture, mediation, perfumes, cosmetics and textiles.

Representative offices of Rio Tinto and the Worley Parsons company's engineering center were opened in Uzbekistan in 2011.

zawya.com  

 

Iran's Charge d'Affaires in Uzbekistan Mohsen Mohammadi, in a meeting with Uzbek Foreign Minister Abdilaziz Kamilov, discussed bilateral ties on Friday.
The two sides exchanged views on developing cooperation in issues of mutual interest, IRNA quoted Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry Press section.
Iranˈs Ambassador to Tashkent Ali Mardani-fard, in a meeting with officials from Uzbekistan Foreign Ministry on April 5, 2013, had considered practical aspects of bilateral relations.

Iran - Uzbekistan commercial exchange in year 2012 was more than 350 million dollars. 

Iran recognized independent of Uzbekistan on December 25, 1991 and on May 10, 1992 the two countries established political relations.

adb.org 

 

Project Data Sheet (PDS): Details

Description

Project 2 will help to strengthen the impact of the government's Rural Development Program (RDP) and Rural Housing Scheme (RHS) to improve rural livelihoods and living standards, including better coordination with the government's financial sector strategy and new Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Program. In the medium term, the MFF supports (i) access to affordable housing finance and housing (ii) improved local government capacity to implement integrated rural development strategies that focus on creating rural jobs; and (iii) strengthening the enabling environment for rural MSMEs.

Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy

While Uzbekistan has achieved substantive gains in gross domestic product (GDP) growth (8.5% in 2010), led by services (11.2%), industry (8.4%), and agriculture (7.1%), living standards in rural areas continue to lag those in urban areas. Around 75% of the poor live in rural areas and rural poverty (22.2% in 2009) is decreasing at a slower pace than in urban areas (15.2% in 2009). The proposed project will support the government's strategy for more inclusive economic growth, improving rural job and livelihood opportunities, improving rural living standards, and addressing urban migration.

Impact

The impact of Tranche 2 will be improved rural housing for targeted beneficiaries.

Project Outcome

Description of Outcome

The outcome will be downstreaming of the rural housing scheme for moderate- to lower-income beneficiaries, with a focus on women.

Implementation Progress

Description of Project Outputs

(i) at least 20,000 housing loans provided by three PCBs to targeted beneficiaries in rural areas (ii) improved capacity of local governments to prepare and implement integrated rural development plans and investment promotion strategies (iii) an improved enabling environment for entrepreneurs and MSEs to expand or establish new businesses in rural areas.


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The American-Uzbekistan
Chamber of Commerce
 
1300 I Street, N.W.,
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Washington, DC 20005
 
phone: 202.509.3744
 
[email protected]

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