November 22, 2013

 

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) contributes greatly to supporting the country's economic reforms and implementation of structural improvements in Uzbekistan, Uzbek President Islam Karimov said, while receiving ADB President Takehiko Nakao on Nov.21, the Uzbek news agency (UzA) reported.

Takehiko Nakao arrived in Uzbekistan for the sixth meeting of the Asia Solar Energy Forum.

During the meeting it was noted that cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB is strategic and long term.

Currently, one of the most promising areas of bilateral cooperation is the realisation of ADB initiatives to develop solar energy in the Asian region. In particular, it envisages the construction in Asia in the coming years of solar power plants with the capacity of 3000 MW.

Under this initiative, Uzbekistan and the ADB started a project on construction of a solar photovoltaic power plant with the capacity of 100 MW in the Samarkand region which will be the first such station in the region.

The International Institute for Solar Energy was established jointly with ADB in Tashkent in 2013. In future this institute will generate new joint projects aimed at increasing the use of renewable energy sources not only in Uzbekistan, but also in other countries of the Asian continent.

The logical continuation of the growing cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB in this area became the fact that the sixth meeting of the Asia Solar Energy Forum has been held in Tashkent.

During the meeting the sides also exchanged opinions on deepening and expanding mutually beneficial bilateral cooperation in the long term, as well as joint interaction in the implementation of regional projects.

The current portfolio of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB includes 40 projects worth $14.5 billion which involve ADB resources totalling more than $4.9 billion.

November 22, 2013

 

Uzbekistan and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) signed loan agreements worth $380 million on Thursday during ADB President Takehiko Nakao's visit to Uzbekistan, the Uzbek national news agency reported today.

The loan agreements were signed on the following projects, 'Constructing a 100 MW solar photoelectric power station in the Samarkand region', 'Rehabilitation of the Amu- Bukhara irrigation systems' and 'Development of Small and Micro finance'.

The portfolio of cooperation between Uzbekistan and the ADB currently includes 40 projects worth $14.5 billion. ADB's funds worth more than $ 4.9 billion were drawn.

Strategically important investment projects and programmes such as the construction of two steam gas units with a total capacity of 900 MW at the Talimarjan thermal power plant, a large scale programme of road construction and reconstruction, building the Ustyurt Gas Chemical Complex at Surgil deposit and a housing programme in rural areas are being jointly implemented.

Currently, the parties are discussing a bilateral cooperation programme for 2014-2016, envisaging the implementation of priority projects and programmes in such areas as oil and gas, electricity, transportation infrastructure, water supply, housing, small business, healthcare, education and municipal sectors.

November 21, 2013

 

Uzbekugol JSC completed the construction of a new production complex at the Angren coal mine in Uzbekistan's Tashkent region, the coal company told Trend on November 15.
The cost of producing the new complex totaled $162.2 million, the company said.
According to the company, at the moment comprehensive overburden operations are being carried out round-the-clock and the whole production line will be launched in December. The general contractor for the project is the Chinese Sino Coal International Engineering. Equipment suppliers are German FAM and Takraf, Russian IZ- Karteks and Anzheromash and Ukrainian Loginov and Partners.
Completion of the mining complex, which conducts production based on cyclic-flow technology and its commissioning, will allow increasing the planned coal production from the mine by two times - up to 6.4 million tons, some 4.6 million tons of which will be received by the Novo-Angren thermal power plant.
It was previously reported that the modernization of the field is a part of the 'Transfer of Novo-Angren TPP power units (No. 1-5) into the all-the-year-round burning of coal (I stage)' project with the modernization of the Angren mine, which was initiated in 2010.
Installation of a new system for the feeding and burning of coal for five power stations as part of the first phase of reconstruction of Novo-Angren thermal power station is planned. The general contractor for the construction at the plant is the Uzbek Tashenergoproekt. It is also planned to install a new system at the station until late 2013 for feeding and burning. The result of the modernization the electricity generation at the thermal power plants is expected to increase from 3.6 billion kilowatts/hour to 8.4 billion kilowatts/hour, by using coal - from 2.5 billion kilowatts/hour to 5.5 billion kilowatt/hour.
Funding of the project totaling $213.7 million is carried out with a $113.8 million loan from the Chinese EximBank, a $52.8 million loan from the Fund for Reconstruction and Development and some $47.1 million from Uzbekenergo's own funds.
In 2012 Uzbekistan increased coal production by 0.2 per cent up to 3.853 million tons compared to 2011. 

November 20, 2013

 

The European Union has allocated nearly EUR 1 billion to support development efforts in Central Asian countries between 2014 and 2020, it was announced ahead of a Ministerial meeting between the EU and Central Asian countries set to begin in Brussels on Wednesday.

The announcement was made by Andris Piebalgs, the EU Commissioner for Development. Piebalgs also presented the priority areas of development cooperation with Central Asia, both at regional and bilateral level.

Piebalgs said the amount includes bilateral allocations for Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, as well as regional allocations and multi-country funds to support the region's efforts on sustainable management of natural resources, socioeconomic development. Kazakhstan remains eligible to benefit from regional and thematic programs, but not for bilateral funds.

"Governance and inclusive and sustainable growth for human development will be the two key pillars for the next seven years of development cooperation with Central Asia, with a particular focus on the poorest and the most fragile countries," Piebalgs said.

Nevertheless, he stressed that that "the EU can facilitate and support national efforts, but it is only the Central Asia countries' direct determination that can build a solid basis for prosperity and security of the region."

"This is precisely the idea behind the EU regional approach in Central Asia, offering each country opportunities for regional dialogue and common actions in areas crucial for the region's future," he added. 

November 21, 2013

 

Senior government representatives from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Azerbaijan began a two-day meeting of the United Nations Special Programme for the Economies of Central Asia (SPECA) today to discuss how to strengthen regional cooperation in support of sustainable and inclusive development in Central Asia, regional aspects of sustainable development in connection with the Rio+20 Conference outcomes and the Post-2015 Development Agenda.

The 2013 SPECA Economic Forum entitled 'Inclusive and sustainable development through regional cooperation' and the 8th session of the SPECA Governing Council, is being held in Almaty, Kazakhstan from 21-22 November. The meeting brings together government leaders from Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan joined by a number of intergovernmental organizations and financial institutions working in Central Asia.

The regional cooperation forum, convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) will elaborate on ways to implement the outcomes of the Rio+20 conference, and accelerate deeper regional cooperation, aimed at effective integration of the economic, social, and environmental pillars of sustainable development for the period after 2015. [Read full article here].