February 10, 2010
Politics:
President of Uzbekistan to pay state visit to the Republic of Korea
Economics:
Ahead With Ambitious Plans and Available Reserves at Hand
Revisiting Construction Projects
Effect of Steam and Gas Turbines
Society:
Essential Environment for Comprehensive Development
569th anniversary of Alisher Navoi marked
POLICY
PRESIDENT OF UZBEKISTAN TO PAY STATE VISIT TO THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA
President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on the invitation of the President of the Republic of Korea Lee Myung-Bak leaves for Korea on a 3-day state visit on 10 February.
During the visit the sides will discuss issues of expanding and deepening Uzbek-Korean cooperation, actual problems of regional and international nature of mutual interest.
On the outcomes of talks in Seoul the sides are expected to sign a number of bilateral documents aimed at deepening the interaction of the two states in various areas.
Seoul recognized the Independence of Uzbekistan on 30 December 1991 and established diplomatic relations on 29 January 1992. Since that nine high level meetings between the Leaders of both republics have taken place.
In accordance with the Trade Agreement of 1992, the most favored nation treatment was achieved. South Korea occupies a leading position among trade partners of Uzbekistan in Asian-Pacific. According to the State Statistics Committee of Uzbekistan, in the third quarter of 2009 the trade turnover increased by 7% and accounted for $847 million, export of Uzbekistan - $71.4 million, import - $775.6 million.
In the last years Korean companies are actively participating in various projects in the territory of Uzbekistan, including the implementation of oil and gas fields and construction of gas-chemical complexes, construction of residential and commercial complexes, in the privatization processes be means of acquiring assets of enterprises; in the establishment of joint ventures in textile and other fields of economy.
Realization of creating the FIEZ Navoi is being actively conducted with the participation of South Korean businessmen. One of the main steps in promoting the project on establishing the international logistics center on the basis of Navoi airport was the conference "Navoi FIEZ: new investment opportunities for Korean partners" held in Seoul on 3-5 March 2009. (Source: Uzreport Information Portal)
ECONOMY
AHEAD WITH AMBITIOUS PLANS AND AVAILABLE RESERVES AT HAND
Olmaliq Mining and Metal Plant has reviewed its activities for 2009. Thus, plans of manufacturing of goods at comparable prices were executed at 101.7%, while the growth rate reached 108.4%.
The plant came out with positive indicators in other major activities as well: production of copper ore amounted to 105.3%, its processing made 101.5%, while production of copper concentrate was performed at 106.4%. Gold mining companies fulfilled their projections: gold ore production made up 107.7% while processing made 105.3%.
Press service of the plant informed in the past year the growth rate of overburden compared to 2008 has made 104.8%. Overburden is one of the key indicators influencing the further development of copper deposits.
In 2010, Olmaliq steelworkers intend to enhance the performance achieved in all areas. A particular emphasis will fall on social significance of the ongoing reforms. Thus, the plans for the current year included creation of new jobs, company’s involvement in the construction of new urban facilities, including culture and recreation parks. Priority in 2010 will be given to raising wages of workers.
UT Reference
Olmaliq Mining and Metal Plant is one of the largest mining and metalworking enterprises in the country. Production facilities are based on porphyry, copper, lead, zinc and gold-silver deposits located in the territories of Tashkent, Jizzakh and Namangan regions. (Source: Uzbekistan Today)
REVISITING CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS
Last year, 22 major manufacturing units were completed in the country, including 8 in petroleum, chemical, metal working industry, 9 in engineering, 5 in the construction industry.
The completed strategic projects include the reconstruction of ammonia units at Farg’onaazot and Maxam-Chirchiq, cars lights factory in Namangan, Daewoo Textile factory in Bukhoro. Gazli booster station as well as a dehydration unit at Kungrad gas compressor station with the capacity of 35 million cubic meters of gas per day were launched. Construction of gas pipeline passing through Uzbekistan from Turkmenistan to China was completed, thereby increasing the transit potential of our country.
In addition, more than 480 new enterprises set up in regions, especially in small businesses in such industries as construction materials, food and textile industry.
Owing to the implementation of strategic investment projects on construction of Yangi Angren-O’zbekiston HVLine-500 with Ghuzor-Surkhon substation power line, Ohangaron-Pungan gas pipeline through Qamchiq Pass of 165 km long. A unified national electricity and gas systems has almost completed. This allows the country to reliably provide electricity and gas supplies to the population in Farg’ona Valley and southern regions, as well as significantly increase the export of electricity.
Particular attention was paid to a major program of construction and reconstruction of the Uzbek National Highway to meet high international standards, securely connect all areas of the country and provide access to regional and global markets.
Over the past year, 217 km of roads were put into operation, 538 km of roads and 19 bridges passed major repair. These works had drawn over 280 billion soums from the Road Fund of the Republic. $56 million of preferential credit resources of ADB have been attracted for the purchase of road construction equipment.
Railways continued the development and modernization of the railway transport system. Five railway bridges were constructed on the new line Toshguzar-Boysun-Qumqo’rg’on with the participation of Japanese capital. Six new railway sidings Navoi-Uchquduq-Sultanuizdag-Nukus were put into operation. Projects of electrification of railways, updating the fleet of railway locomotives and rolling stock has begun.
In 2009, a huge work was made on the construction of an intermodal transportation center at Navoi International Airport as one of the key objects within the free industrial and economic zone. Over the past year, the national airline company provided more than 330 flights on international destinations and transported about 8,500 tons of cargo on modern transport aircraft leased from Korean Air, thus integrating of the airport of Navoi to the global logistics network. (Source: Uzbekistan Today)
EFFECT OF STEAM AND GAS TURBINES
Commissioning of modern combined-cycle turbines of 478 MW power at Navoi Thermal Power Plant (TPP) will help increase its efficiency up to 57 percent.
Efficiency of systems functioning at the enterprise is 30%, said Tulqin Nazarov, deputy head of production and technical department at Navoi TPP.
Modern combined-cycle turbines of 478 MW of power will considerably increase the performance factor. Generation of one kilowatt of electricity at operating blocks takes 406 grams of standard fuel, while the new unit, as calculations show, uses 250 grams on the average. This means that we can reduce production costs to produce more electricity, and twice to reduce the cost of the output,” he said.
He also reported that Navoi TPP is among the first enterprises in the country to install new plants unique in Central Asia.
The new generators will provide our region, as well as neighboring Bukhoro and Samarqand regions with additional power supply,” said T. Nazarov.
According to director general of Navoi TPP Qahramon Ghaniev, there is an already developed and implemented program of technical re-equipment and reconstruction. Under the reconstruction, in the beginning of the year the company jointly with Russian partners and ESAN scientific enterprise has launched a project of complex automation of technological processes with the construction of a unified system of stations management. At present, the company has an agreement with a consortium of companies Initek Energy from Spain and Chalik Energy of Turkey with the participation of Japan-based Mitsubishi for complete construction of a combined-cycle plant. The project worth ˆ337 million is financed from internal resources, particularly by the Fund for Reconstruction and Development, National Bank for Foreign Economic Activity of Uzbekistan and Uzbekenergo.
According to local experts, the reconstruction of thermal power plants is connected with the expansion of the free industrial economic zone in Navoi region which requires additional power supply. Modernization of thermal power plants will not only contribute to the reliability and safety of its work, stability of power generation and operation of the entire power system, but also significantly raise fuel-efficiency of production. (Source: Uzbekistan Today)
SOCIETY
ESSENTIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT
The arrangement of healthy atmosphere promoting the children’s comprehensive development is one of important directions of reforms in the educational system. The Institute for Advanced Training of Teachers of the Republic of Karakalpakstan has made a considerable input into this process.
The key specialists of the institute carry out a considerable work on perfection of the methodology of lessons’ conduction as well as interaction between school and parents on upbringing and supporting children’s desire for the development and learning the new material for their harmonious and comprehensive development. Teachers-practitioners from over a hundred schools of Ellikqala, Amudaryo, Tahiotosh, Ho’jayli, Kegeyli districts and Nukus take an active part in these developments along with the scientists of the institute.
New solutions represent a synthesis of the best national and foreign pedagogical experience. In whole, researchers offer developments on conducting lessons with application of play forms of presentation of a material and interactive methods of training, as well as modern information-communication technologies.
Moreover, they recommend giving more attention to class hours that should promote the cohesion of pupils and develop their skills of displaying their personal initiative and work in a collective. In perfection of work of general schools much emphasis is placed on relations of pedagogical collective and parents. These interrelations are considered as a unit that creates conditions for all-round opening of talents of each pupil.
Such are the results of this activity: for the last three years the institute has developed 10 collections of methodical recommendations on organizing class hours, pedagogical hints, and parents meetings that was approved by the educational-methodological council of the Center of Education of the Ministry of Public Education of Uzbekistan. Methods offered in the given manuals get wide application in everyday life of general schools. (Source: Uzbekistan Today)
569TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALISHER NAVOI MARKED
The 569th anniversary of Alisher Navoi was marked on 9 February with a traditional ceremony at the National Park of Uzbekistan, which bears the name of the great poet and thinker.
Poets and writers, scientists, teachers, students, representatives of culture and art spheres, government and public organizations, as well as foreign diplomats took part in the ceremony.
The participants, among them State Advisor to the President H.Sultanov, Vice Prime Minister A.Aripov and hokim (mayor) of Tashkent A.Tukhtayev, laid flowers to the monument of Alisher Navoi.
The speakers at the event said wide measures were being taken in Uzbekistan to preserve and study the artistic and scientific heritage. The works of Alisher Navoi, in particular, promote ideas of humanism, unity, peace and love to Motherland.
The works of the great poet are studied all over the world and have been translated and published in many languages. (Source: National News Agency UzA)