29 September, 2011
Politics:
Presidents Karimov and Obama speak by phone
Prospects for increasing women's role in development of
entrepreneurship discussed in Tashkent
Economics:
CCI of Uzbekistan sums up the State program
Society:
ICT Summit considers sector's perspectives
Tourism festival held in Tashkent
POLICY
Presidents Karimov and Obama speak by phone
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov and President of the United States of America Barack Obama have held a telephone conversation on September 28, 2011.
President Obama congratulated President Karimov and the people of Uzbekistan on the twentieth anniversary of independence and expressed sincere wishes of wellbeing and prosperity.
The US President communicated his high appreciation of Uzbekistan’s accomplishments made during the twenty years of independent development and underscored its pivotal role in providing for security and stability in the region. Barack Obama substantiated also the United States commitment to a steadfast extension of cooperation with Uzbekistan in wide-ranging trade, economic and investment projects, in the establishment of dialogue between civil societies of the two nations.
The heads of state stressed the availability of shared interests within the framework of multifaceted bilateral cooperation as much as in the context of prospective areas of interaction in addressing regional and international issues.
President Barack Obama conveyed gratitude of the United States government for Uzbekistan’s support in tackling the Afghan crisis and providing assistance to Afghanistan in peaceful rebuilding of the country.
The two leaders confirmed the reciprocal willingness to keep forward with the open and full-fledged political dialogue along with the common interest in boosting Uzbek-American partnership built on principles of mutual respect and confidence.
(Source: press-service.uz)
Prospects for increasing women's role in development of entrepreneurship discussed in Tashkent
Faction of the Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan 'Adolat' together with the Women's Committee of Uzbekistan held a round table on "Prospects for further increase of women's role in development of small business and entrepreneurship" at the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis.
The event was attended by representatives of the Women's Committee of Uzbekistan, Federation of Trade Unions, the Association of Women Entrepreneurs, senior officials of relevant ministries and agencies, banks, experts, party activists and journalists.
The event participants noted that extensive work to enhance the role and status of women in society, their legal knowledge, and to solve problems of employment is carried out in Uzbekistan under the guidance of President Islam Karimov.
The state provides comprehensive support to women entrepreneurs in their activities. The Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On Additional Measures to Support Women's Committee of Uzbekistan" of May 25, 2004 became an important the legal document aimed at further improvement of work in this field.
During the round table issues of creating a favorable business environment for further expansion of small business and entrepreneurship were discussed. In particular, there were suggestions made to strengthen the role and importance of financial and banking systems in organization of small businesses and private entrepreneurship, support business initiatives through the system of banking activities, improve the practical knowledge needed to use microfinance services.
Participants also gave practical advices for women entrepreneurs on bank crediting in the field, entrepreneurial activity in rural areas, developing business plans, creating family businesses, which today is one of the most effective ways to provide employment, and revive national handicrafts.
It was noted that although over 20 years of independence Uzbekistan has established a reliable legal framework for doing business, it is necessary to improve some legal acts in this area. It is particularly important to develop a law on the family business.
Participants of the round table familiarized with the activities of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis, Social Democratic Party of Uzbekistan 'Adolat', the conditions for the productive legislative work of the lower chamber of parliament.
(Source: UzReport Agency)
ECONOMY
CCI of Uzbekistan sums up the State program
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan (CCI) held a press conference to discuss its objectives and their implementation within the State program "Year of small business and entrepreneurship", September 27.
During the event, information about the outreach to small business and private entrepreneurship entities, carried out in accordance with the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On additional measures to achieve the most favorable business environment for further development of small business and entrepreneurship" of August 24, 2011 and the Decree "On measures to remove bureaucratic barriers and further enhancement of the freedom of entrepreneurial activity" of August 25, 2011.
In pursuance to the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 7 February 2011, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry conducted a survey in the regions to assess the business climate and business environment. As a result, the Chamber and its partners decided to establish community councils in every region and district of the country to identify problems in business activities.
According to the Resolution of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of 7 January 2011, the Chamber of Commerce, along with other ministries and departments was instructed to create a single updating electronic database of industrial enterprises, with indication of the range of products, location of facilities and contact information for potential investors and trading partners. In this regard, the Chamber has already established a corresponding database of industrial enterprises, which includes more than 9,000 large and small manufacturing companies. The database is placed on the home page of CCI and is accessible to all users.
The main purpose of this electronic resource is distribution of information about domestic producers of goods to potential customers, simplifying the procedure of its obtaining by foreign investors, increasing the participation of industrial enterprises in foreign trade activities, assistance in enhancing their export capacity and promotion of products to regional and global markets, provision of information and advice to small businesses and private entrepreneurship.
In the near future, the CCI is planning to develop an electronic trading platform that will accelerate and simplify relations between the parties in carrying out electronic payment transactions between businesses. At the same time, it provides for the establishment of an electronic catalog of equipment and production lines of foreign and domestic manufacturers on the Chamber's website.
Currently, the Uzbek-Chinese trading house with the support of the CCI is working to develop an industrial business complex in order to expand business contacts of entrepreneurs of Uzbekistan with foreign manufacturers, partners and investors in terms of technical equipment.
Priority tasks of the structure being created is efficient promotion of goods, capital, knowledge, ideas, technology and innovation between the countries, as well as establishing direct economic ties between the Uzbek and foreign companies.
(Source: UzReport Agency)
Society
ICT Summit considers sector's perspectives
The National Summit on Information and Communication Technologies was held in Tashkent on 27 September in the framework of the ongoing ICT Week.
The traditional forum serves as a platform for exchange of ideas and experience in the field of ICT. Around 500 participants from Uzbekistan, the CIS and other states gathered in the capital for this years’ event.
The summit worked in four sections, including Development Strategies, Technologies and Infrastructure, Applications and Solutions, and Information and Library Technologies.
The reports covered topics like the regulative policy in ICT, electronic management, healthcare, commerce, education, personnel training, access to ICT, media sector development and others.
The ICT Summit ended with adoption of the resolution, in which the participants welcomed the efforts of the government aimed at development of the sector and outlined recommendations for the further expansion of ICT use in all fields of life.
The summit, in particular, called on creation of a favorable environment for the growth of the ICT potential, wider use of new technologies in all areas, as well as expansion of the regional and international cooperation.
(Source: UzA News Agency)
Tourism festival held in Tashkent
The festival devoted to the World Tourism Day, which is marked on 27 September, was held in Tashkent on Tuesday.
The purpose of the forum was to bring together young people studying tourism and tourist companies and organizations for an exchange of opinions and experience.
According to Uzbektourism national company, the number of tourists visiting Uzbekistan last year increased by 6.9% to 1.3 million people.
Today about 800 enterprises operate in the field of tourism, including more than 450 tourism operators. There are almost 300 hotels in the country, with almost 30 commissioned in the first half of this year.
The tourist companies are looking into development of the new types of tourism like sports and ecological tourism.
(Source: UzA News Agency)