October 16, 2013

NOMINATIONS CONFIRMED (CIVILIAN) The following civilian Executive Nominations were confirmed by the Senate during the current congress. Nominations flagged with an asterisk were approved subject to the nominee's commitment to respond to requests to appear and testify before any duly constituted committee of the Senate. The nominations are listed to reverse chronological order based on the date of confirmation. 

[Extract.  Full list can be found here]

October 16, 2013 PN688 * DEPARTMENT OF STATE Nisha Desai Biswal, of the District of Columbia, to be Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. 

October 18, 2013

Uzbekistan and Latvia have signed several agreements following talks between the Uzbek and Latvian Presidents Islam Karimov and Andris Berzins, the Uzbek National Information Agency (UzA) said on Friday.

President Karimov paid a state visit to Latvia at the invitation of President Berzins on October 16-17.

During the talks, the two presidents discussed the prospects of bilateral relations and analysed the main areas of cooperation in the political, financial-economic, cultural and humanitarian spheres and exchanged views on important regional and international issues.

It was stressed that Uzbekistan and Latvia are important and reliable partners. The main document was signed following the talks was the presidents' joint statement.

Moreover, an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation in the field of health and medical science was signed.

The Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade and the Latvian Ministry of Transport and Communications signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the field of transport and transit and a memorandum of understanding on measures promoting bilateral trade relations.

The Uzbek and Latvian Foreign Ministries signed a cooperation programme for 2014-2016.
The Uzbek State Committee for Nature Protection and the Latvian Ministry of Environmental Protection and Regional Development signed an agreement on environmental cooperation.
National company Uzbektourism and the Latvian Tourism Development Agency (TAVA) signed a memorandum on cooperation in the field of tourism.

During the visit, Karimov got the Latvian highest state award the 'Cross of appreciation' of the first degree, while the Latvian president received one of Uzbek's highest awards the 'Buyuk xizmatlari uchun' ('For great merit').

Cooperation has been established in the fight against terrorism, extremism and drug trafficking.

The sides stressed the similarity of approaches and positions of Uzbekistan and Latvia on all discussed issues.

The Uzbek and Latvian presidents have focused on issues of trade-economic, investment and humanitarian cooperation.

October 18, 2013

Uzbekistan's state energy company Uzbekenergo in November will announce a tender for modernization of two hydro power plants in the Tashkent region, the company said.

"Prequalification selection has been extended until the end of October, and a tender to select general contractors will be announced in the first half of November," a company representative said. 
A project to modernize the Farkhad HPP and HPP #14 of the Lower Bozsui Cascade provides for replacement of generators and turbines, electrical and communication equipment. The project will increase the total generating capacity of both plants by 17.3 MW. The project is to be completed in three years. 
The $165.7 million project will be financed by the Islamic Development Bank ($100 million) and funds from Uzbekenergo. 
Uzbekenergo is currently considering six projects worth $215 million to modernize hydro power plants. In particular, modernization of HPP cascades in the Samarkand, Tashkent, and Fergana regions will replace their technological equipment in two years and increase their total generating capacity by 15 MW. The projects will be financed through loans from international financial institutions and money from the Uzbek side. 
Uzbekistan now has 45 power plants with a total generating capacity of 12.4 thousand MW. Their electricity generation potential is 57 billion kWh a year.

October 11, 2013

[Abstract.  Full text is here]

Economic growth in the Emerging Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region suffered during the global financial and Eurozone crises but has started to rebound, with projected modest growth rates of 2.2. percent in 2013 and 3.1 percent in 2014, World Bank officials said at a press briefing during the 2013 World Bank/IMF Annual Meetings. However, compared to other regions in the world, the ECA region has had the slowest recovery of growth and remains vulnerable to risks in a dynamic global economy. 

"Today we have both good news and bad news", said Laura Tuck, World Bank Vice-President for the Europe and Central Asia region. "The good news is that the risk of a crisis in the Euro Area has receded and Europe is slowly coming out of recession, which is having a ripple effect on the Emerging Europe and Central Asia region. The bad news is that new financial risks, including from the United States, are emerging, hindering the already timid recovery."

The Good News

There are signs of a rebound, especially in Central and Southeastern Europe (CSEE), which will materialize in stronger growth in 2014, when growth is expected to double from its anemic pace in 2012 and 2013. Growth in the CSEE countries was only 0.8 percent in 2012, and is projected to be 0.9 percent in 2013. For 2014, it is expected to accelerate to 2.0 percent of GDP.

On the other hand, the economies of Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which are less dependent on the Euro Area, have seen stronger growth (4.4 percent average annual growth for the period 2009-2012, compared to 1.9 percent in CSEE). For 2013, growth for the CIS economies is projected to reach 2.4 percent of GDP, despite a slowdown of the Russian economy to 1.8 percent. Turkey's economy is projected to grow by 3.6 percent this year. For 2014, the Bank projects 3.5 percent growth for CIS economies (3.1 percent for Russia) and 3.5 percent for Turkey.

The Bad News

Still, emerging financial risks, including those from the United States, are hindering the recovery in the ECA region. After the US Federal Reserve's suggestion of tapering off in May of this year, capital flows into Emerging Europe and Central Asia dried up, yields moved up, stock markets fell sharply, and currencies weakened. These factors affected those ECA countries with large current account deficits that are vulnerable to inflows, including countries of the Western Balkans, Armenia, and Belarus.

The Tough Reality

"The tough reality is that the central problems in the economies of Emerging Europe and Central Asia are of structural nature and require domestic, structural solutions," added Laura Tuck. "Governments in the region need to take action on key challenges such as creating new jobs, addressing issue related to the aging population, and managing their natural resources."

Unemployment has remained persistently high - more than 10 percent in Central Europe and it keeps rising in the Western Balkans, where more than one out of 5 workers is now looking for a job. Policy-makers are tasked with creating more and better jobs, which will require a multi-sectoral approach that goes beyond traditional labor market measures and regulations.

"Better incentives are needed for people to move into formal jobs, especially for low-wage earners and part-time workers," said Hans Timmer, World Bank Chief Economist for the Europe and Central Asia region. "In particular, tax systems have to become progressive and designed in a way to allow this move into the formal sector. Additionally, countries should undertake reforms and policies to improve the environment for existing and new firms to thrive and create jobs, and to support workers to be more adaptable, ready-to-work, and mobile so they can tap into new job opportunities."