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In This Issue:
US Ambassador Spratlen on USAID Agricultural Value Chains (AVC) Project Inauguration Ceremony
Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan eye increasing trade turnover
Modernizing the Water Future of Central Asia
Update: Invitation to Attend 2016 US-Uzbekistan Annual Business Forum in Tashkent: November 30

U.S. Ambassador Pamela L. Spratlen
USAID Agricultural Value Chains (AVC) 
Project Inauguration Ceremony
September, 15, 2016 10:00 a.m.
Mirzaev Horticulture Institute

Ассалом aлейкум, доброе утро, and Good morning to everyone! Especially to Dr. Kasimov, I want to thank you for your warm welcome and for everything you have done to bring us to this point today.
On February 13 of 2015 - it is hard to believe - we gathered together with our Uzbek partners here to inaugurate a state-of-the-art micro-propagation technology facility, known as the Tissue Culture Laboratory, at the Mirzaev Horticulture Institute. The overall objective of the Laboratory is to improve the quality of plants to increase horticultural production in Uzbekistan.
Today, we again celebrate here at Mirzaev the launch of a new agricultural project, as you have heard, called the Agricultural Value Chains. Today's broad participation of farmers, business, and government exemplifies the strong partnerships we have forged across Uzbekistan in the twelve provinces and 33 districts where the project will operate.
Since 2008, USAID has partnered with Uzbekistan on horticultural sector projects through various projects.  We are proud of our close coordination with the Government of Uzbekistan and our mutual efforts to strengthen horticultural practices, create better livelihoods, and meet international demands for the highest quality produce.
And I would like to associate myself with a very important point that Dr. Kasimov made in his remarks, and that is that this project is a logical continuation of our past work. And as a result of our past work, we have already witnessed letters of intent worth more than $300 million between Uzbek growers and international buyers of horticultural produce through business to business trade missions in Samarkand, and Fergana.
Furthermore, the United States welcomes Uzbekistan's efforts to transform over 170,000 hectares of cotton over the next five years to produce higher value fruits and vegetables. Our Agriculture Value Chains project is well-positioned to support such ambitious agricultural transitions.
This five-year, $14 million program will improve the value chain along the horticultural sector by creating jobs, improving incomes, and increasing fruit yield and quality.
I would like to join Dr. Kasimov in thanking every entity inside of Uzbekistan that played a role in bringing us to this point today and I would especially like to thank DAI and the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources for implementing the Agriculture Value Chains project in Uzbekistan. It is because of your enthusiasm, energy, and professionalism that the United States Government, through USAID, can continue to invest in Uzbekistan's horticulture sector.
I cannot think of a better way to celebrate Uzbek horticulture than a grape variety contest that showcases the diversity, quality, and richness of produce that is a true national treasure - that is what you see before you. I wish the best of luck to all the competitors and may the best grapes win!
Удачи всем. Катта раҳмат. Спасибо.


Acting Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoev met with Kazakhstan's First Deputy Prime Minister Askar Mamin Sept. 22, Uzbekistan National News Agency (UzA) reported.
During the meeting, the sides discussed the issues on practical implementation of agreements reached during Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev's visit to Samarkand on Sept. 12, 2016, in particular, on the further expansion of mutually beneficial trade and economic cooperation, according to the agency.
The parties also discussed the efficient use of the two countries' markets and increase the volume of bilateral trade turnover up to $5 billion.
Askar Mamin expressed Kazakhstan's readiness to take joint measures to enhance the full and mutually beneficial bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
During the meeting, a number of specific proposals and measures prepared by the two parties' experts - setting up joint trade houses to promote competitive industrial products, support for mutually beneficial projects by national banking and financial institutions, and activation of cooperation between the customs services, holding joint business forums and visits - were approved.
Shavkat Mirziyoev and Askar Mamin noted the need to continue mutually beneficial cooperation in the areas of transportation and transit, including through the exchange of tariff preferences for freight traffic and implementation of new joint projects that will improve the competitiveness of regional transportation corridors.
The trade turnover between Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan totaled $3 billion in 2015.


The Central Asia Water Future Forum and Expo is being held on September 19-22 in Almaty. Organized by the World Bank, the event brings together over 200 policy makers and practitioners from governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan, the international community of water practitioners, as well as regional learning institutions, universities, civil society and media representatives.
Like many regions across the world, Central Asia is seeking to make the best use of limited water resources, and is exploring ways of modernizing the tools and institutions in this area. This event improves access to global good practices in modernizing water resources monitoring and management in a changing development and climate context.
The Forum spans four days and features regional and international knowledge exchange around evolving modern approaches and state of the art tools for integrated water resources management. The Bank is actively working with all participants to facilitate access to knowledge and experiences accumulated at the national and global levels, identifying gaps in knowledge and modernization needs, and strengthening coordination for addressing common water related challenges in a concerted manner.
This Forum is convened as part of the preparation for the Central Asia Water Resources Management program, aimed at modernizing water information management systems and strengthening related institutional capacity.
"This event provides a valuable opportunity for countries to collaborate on a critical development issue for the region", said Lilia Burunciuc, the World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia. "Jointly we hope to focus on innovative solutions to water-related development challenges, learning from global good practices and regional experiences in improved water management and climate resilience."
While the Forum is a platform for knowledge sharing and learning, the Expo will feature displays to showcase global and regional good practice, state-of-the art hydromet instrumentation, visualization, forecasting, and other analytical tools, as well as institutional development approaches for modernizing water management systems. This type of collaboration will help countries advance the dialogue on future needs for information, institutions, and related investments for modernizing their systems at national and regional levels.
The event is being held in cooperation with the International Applied Research Conference "Water Resources of Central Asia and their Use" on September 22-24, 2016 in Almaty convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Invitation to Attend

2016 U.S.-UZBEKISTAN 
ANNUAL BUSINESS FORUM
 
8.00 am - 4.00 pm

Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Keynote address by:
 
Deputy Assistant Secretary 
Michael A. Lally 
U.S. Department of Commerce

& 

U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan 
Pamela Spratlen
U.S. Embassy Tashkent

(agenda to follow)

Click here to register

PLATINUM SPONSOR
GE
SILVER SPONSOR

White & Case
Please join us at the 2016 U.S.-Uzbekistan Annual Business Forum in Tashkent, which is a signature event by the AUCC member-companies.  

The AUCC delegation to Uzbekistan will be led by the chamber's Chairperson Carolyn B. Lamm and President Steven T. Nadherny.  We are pleased to announce that Deputy Assistant Secretary of Commerce Michael A. Lally will travel to Uzbekistan with AUCC member-companies to give stronger boost to our efforts and further promote bilateral trade dialogue.  Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, Elyor Ganiev, is expected to represent the Government of Uzbekistan. 

"We are delighted to take our signature event to Uzbekistan this year and have DAS Michael Lally's support and participation.  Without a doubt, AUCC is the best example of the Private-Public Partnership and the most effective conduit for the US bilateral trade with Uzbekistan. AUCC has successfully channeled our assessment and vision of the country's technological and industrial modernization through the forum and used it as a platform to declare our readiness and will to better serve the interests of the American and Uzbek peoples," said AUCC Chairperson Lamm. "The chamber sincerely hopes that our commercial aspirations will continue to be supported by the Governments of the US and Uzbekistan that have both outlined business and commerce as a pillar of their bilateral agenda.  We are grateful to DAS Michael Lally for his leadership and attention to this part of the world," added AUCC President Nadherny.   

AUCC is a private, non-governmental, 501 (c)(6) trade association that was established in 1993 in Washington, DC.  The chamber is the oldest business group in the US and the Republic of Uzbekistan that exclusively represents commercial interests of the US corporations before the governments of our two countries.  

REGISTRATION DEADLINE:

Register here to indicate your interest in the event. Registration deadline is Monday, September 26, 2016.
 
SPONSORSHIP: 

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact AUCC at info@aucconline.com. 

VISA, HOTEL AND TRANSPORTATION IN TASHKENT: 

AUCC will provide assistance with visa, hotel and transportation for AUCC members and guests. Please contact AUCC at info@aucconline.com for details.  

APPLICATION FEE: 

Free for AUCC members (will be verified) and US Government representatives.  

$1,000 per person for all other guests and participants - The fee is non-refundable. 

Click here to make a payment and register for the event. 

CONTACT INFORMATION:aucc logo
The American-Uzbekistan
Chamber of Commerce 
1030 15th Street, N.W.,
Suite 555W 
Washington, DC 20005 
phone: 202.509.3744 
info@aucconline.com
www.aucconline.com 

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