February 26, 2010

Economics:
Uzbekistan takes measures to improve antimonopoly regulation, develop competition
Microsoft representatives hold meeting at Cabinet of Ministers
General Motors to build subcompact Chevy in Uzbekistan
Cutting-Edge Technologies at the service of domestic manufacturing
Society:
Fifty regional UN volunteers attend national conference in Tashkent
Ensuring Women’s Health, and a Fit Generation

ECONOMY

UZBEKISTAN TAKES MEASURES TO IMPROVE ANTIMONOPOLY REGULATION, DEVELOP COMPETITION

President of Uzbekistan Islam Karimov on 26 February signed a Decree "On measures to further improve the system of antimonopoly regulation and development of competition".

In line with the documents, State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Demonopolization, Support of Competition and Entrepreneurship has been reorganized into State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Demonopolization and Development of Competition.

Separately, the presidential decree approved the creation of the Association of Enterprises of Small Business and Private Entrepreneurship according to the proposal of State Property Committee, Economy Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade, Chamber of Commerce and Industry and business entities of Uzbekistan.

One of the main tasks of the newly created State Committee for Demonopolization and Development of Competition is implementation of effective antimonopoly policy, control over the observance of legislation on limitation of monopolistic activity and natural monopolies.

The Committee will also work on further improvement of the legal field for the development in Uzbekistan of competitive environment, suppression of unfair competition in the markets of goods (work, services), first of all, in the domestic consumer market and the sphere of advertisement.

Moreover, the Committee is responsible for non-admission of illegal actions by state governance and authority bodies at the local level with respect to economic entities, and ensuring in close coordination with public structures the protection of legal interests and rights of consumers.

Finally, the Committee has been entrusted with conducting an in-depth analysis of financial and economic condition and competitiveness of economically insolvent enterprises, fulfilling functions on restructuring and bankruptcy of organizations, representing interests of the state in consideration of the issues of restructuring, readjustment and bankruptcy. (Source: Uzreport Business Information Portal)

MICROSOFT REPRESENTATIVES HOLD MEETING AT CABINET OF MINISTERS

The Microsoft director for work with governments of the Central and Eastern Europe Roland Hofmann held a meeting with representatives of the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan. The meeting focused on the perspectives of cooperation in introduction of information and communication technologies in Uzbekistan.

It was noted that in Uzbekistan a large work was being carried out to develop information and communication technologies in various spheres in accordance with programs approved by the President.

The sides discussed expansion of cooperation in education and agreed that signing of a special memorandum would allow providing all educational institutions with Microsoft products on a preferential basis. They particularly noted the importance of translating the interfaces of the Microsoft products into Uzbek language.

The participants of the meeting also considered development of cooperation in preparing specialists in IT sphere. It was noted that in Uzbekistan annually more than 3,500 IT specialists are prepared, which creates conditions for development of local software industry, and the Microsoft could successfully use this potential.

The issues of cooperation in protection of intellectual property and copyright in Uzbekistan were also discussed at the meeting. In this direction, Microsoft offered holding various seminars and trainings with participation of its specialists.

Perspectives of cooperation in introduction of IT in state management were another area of discussion. The sides said a memorandum with Microsoft to introduce the Innovative Government program could be signed.

The Microsoft representatives were also proposed to expand cooperation with the Center for young programmers training and the Computer Emergency Response Team (UZ-CERT) under the UZINFOCOM center. (Source: National News Agency UzA)

GENERAL MOTORS TO BUILD SUBCOMPACT CHEVY IN UZBEKISTAN

The next-generation model of Chevrolet Spark is expected to be built at GM's joint venture in Uzbekistan

General Motors will build a new Chevrolet subcompact as part of a joint venture with Uzavtosanoat. The new car has been designed and positioned primarily for emerging markets.

Although the details haven't yet been announced, most analysts believe the model will be the next generation of the Matiz, which debuted last year in South Korea and is sold overseas as the Chevrolet Spark.

It is clear that the new subcompact won't replace the old version of the Matiz currently being built by GM Uzbekistan, which continues to be in great demand here and in Russia. GM Uzbekistan also produces and sells Lacetti and Captiva.

Currently GM owns a 25% stake in GM Uzbekistan, whose total production is 250,000 cars a year. Investment in this latest project is expected to exceed $125 million and production volume for this model should reach 50,000 units per year.

The new agreement will also provide Chevrolet with the opportunity to continue its business development in Uzbekistan and other CIS countries as well as Russia, according to Inside Line. (Source: Uzreport Business Information Portal)

CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGIES AT THE SERVICE OF DOMESTIC MANUFACTURING

A traditional republican fair of innovative ideas is to open its doors soon to bring together manufacturers, institutions, developers of various solutions and technologies. Experience of the last two years suggests that most of innovative products and ideas presented at previous fairs held primarily to stimulate innovation, design and practical developments are now being implemented in practice.

The scope of new innovation ideas this season promises to be equally significant and interesting. For example, Institute of Electronics of the Uzbek Academy of Sciences hopes to attract the attention of producers to a number of its latest projects. In particular, this is the presentation of a new method of laser processing of metals. The method developed by the researchers of the institute is quite unique. Its advantage is that it concentrates high energy density at the surface of the material that allows for such technological operations as cutting, welding and hardening. At the same time cutting of metals is made at high speed and quality, not requiring following edging. Laser hardening, in contrast to traditional methods, allows for surface hardening of metals.

In addition, according to experts of the Institute of Electronics, a new step in the development of metals welding technology, especially nonferrous ones can be provided by a combined laser-arc processes with the use of activating agents that improve the quality of welding process. It allows to increase the welding speed and improve the quality of the seam and get the welded joints of little inferior to the base metal on the strength. This method allows to increase productivity and reduce the cost of the welding process. The proposed technology improves the wear resistance of tool steel threefold after laser hardening and increases the welding speed 2-3 times compared with the arc welding and cut 40-50% down on electricity consumption of laser-arc welding as compared to the laser one. This maintains the quality of seams, inherent in meticulous laser welding, and reduces power requirements of laser radiation, which allows the use of inexpensive technological lasers. In addition, the method increases the automation metals processing. Fields of application of the technologies are rather extensive. Their advantages can be implemented by car manufacturers, aviation industry and agricultural machinery companies.

Specialists of the institute also suggest a new approach to automating the production of flour by equipping existing mills with appropriate sensors and systems that will further allow them to connect into a single automated process control system. This approach, according to experts, would not require large capital investments and revolutionary reforms of branches, leads to greater efficiency in the use of grain, stabilization process, cut down on energy consumption, improvements of working conditions and facilitate the management of production. In this connection, the institute has developed import substituting sensors mainly designed for enterprises of Uzdonmahsulot.

All these technologies are protected by patents of the Republic of Uzbekistan. And this is only a small part of the technological diversity, which may contribute to the economic development of enterprises in various sectors of the economy. (Source: Uzbekistan Today Newspaper)

SOCIETY

FIFTY REGIONAL UN VOLUNTEERS ATTEND NATIONAL CONFERENCE IN TASHKENT

National conference of UN volunteers was held in Tashkent on 22-24 February. It was attended by 50 regional representatives from Ferghana, Andijan, Jizzakh, Surkhandarya, Urgench, Navoi and Tashkent.

The forum was organized by the UNDP Projects "Assistance to the Government of the Republic of Uzbekistan in Formulating and Implementing the ICT Policy for the Development of Uzbekistan" (ICTP) and "Strengthening the Potential of National Human Rights Institutions of the Republic of Uzbekistan".

The conference participants made presentations, which describe their day-to-day activities and highlight special events and campaigns carried out in their respective regions. In particular, they informed about round-table discussions, training courses, charitable events and various campaigns targeting youth.

The conference aims at bringing together volunteers from the regions, creating synergies by joining efforts, approaches and objectives, developing a unified work concept and identifying joint projects for a nation-wide implementation.

In the course of the conference, the volunteers came up with ideas on how to ensure successful project realization in regions. These ideas will help them to improve their work on the field and attract new volunteers to their lines.

A training course conducted for the UN volunteers during the 2-day conference dealt with the main concepts and skills in the project management. Additionally, they were provided with a practical guidance on the use of the Project Coordination Central Electronic System, OpenGoo, based on Web2 technology.

All conference sessions were held in the interactive form, thus enabling each participant to express his/her own ideas and views on the volunteer movement. Participants worked in small groups and plenary sessions, making individual and group presentations. (Source: Uzreport Business Information Portal)

ENSURING WOMEN’S HEALTH, AND A FIT GENERATION

One of the priorities in national policy is strengthening the public health, in particular women and youth, upbringing comprehensively developed generation, increasing medical culture of the population.

In recent years, the world experiences an increase in the number of people with cancer. Breast cancer occupies a special place in the structure of oncological diseases. This is the urgent and exciting topic provided the theme for the round table on “Joining Forces in Addressing the Problems of Breast Cancer and Other Oncological Diseases”. The round table gathered in Tashkent more than 150 people, including professionals and managers of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Republic of Uzbekistan, National Cancer Research Center, Cancer Research Center of Tashkent, representatives of UNFPA, World Health Organization and many other government and nongovernmental organizations.

The meeting was organized by the association Women’s Assembly, Community of Women “In the Name of Life”, Ministry of Healthcare, Social Initiatives Support Fund and other organizations.

It was noted at the occasion that the country is gradually introducing national programs, regulations and decrees aimed at creating healthy families, strengthening the health of girls, women and children, raising a healthy generation. There are measures taken for timely detection of congenital and other abnormalities in pregnant women and infants. All the regions have new health establishments, rural health centers, family clinics, dispensaries, specialized treatment facilities that provide services on the latest equipment and apparatus, medicines. Particular attention is given to the provision of medical genetic care to population, health survey of expectant mothers and newborns.

These efforts focus importance on resistance to women cancer, their timely diagnosis, treatment and prevention. For only a healthy mother can have a healthy baby.

As part of the round table, participants were able to develop a future program for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer and rehabilitation of women diagnosed with breast cancer, which will help enhance the process. The program includes professional and specialized approach to the problem from government agencies, medical institutions and pharmaceutical companies on the basis of projects and programs developed by relevant organizations, as well as socially oriented approaches to the problem aimed at constant attraction of public attention, prevention and early diagnosis of disease.

“We can only together solve the problem,” said Ministers of Health of Uzbekistan Adham Ikramov in his speech at the round table. “Sound health of the nation is impossible without healthy women. Involvement of nongovernmental organizations is very accurate and a good step in reducing the risk of breast cancer.”

It was highlighted many times at the round table that for reduction of cancer incidence, particularly breast cancer, it is necessary to raise public awareness in the prevention and treatment, as well as consolidate efforts of government and interested nongovernmental organizations, pharmaceutical companies.

“This is a global problem,” says Guzal Musaeva, chair of the branch of the Women’s Assembly in Khorazm region. “I think that working groups could promote healthy lifestyles in all regions of the country. In particular, about 400 women have been surveyed, 50 women received mammograms for two months of the year in the Khorazm region. In the next few days we are going with oncologists in rural areas to help those who need medical care.

Among the participants of the round table was a woman who had recently been operated on with a diagnosis of breast cancer.

“When I heard the diagnosis, it was a difficult period in my life.” said Zinaida Kim from Tashkent. “Women community helped me cope with the disease. These people have a very generous soul, willing to sacrifice free time for us to feel much better. I am deeply grateful to them and I want to say that our women should not lose hope, there are people who are willing to help them in the challenges.”

Today Uzbekistan has all possibilities to provide the population with oncology care at Republican Cancer Research Center, Regional Oncological Hospital. Rural health centers and family clinics have special medical examination rooms and gynecology offices. With the support of Women’s Assembly association, a breast doctor office has opened this year in a clinic of Samarqand, which very soon will begin its work. Organizers of the round table said, every woman, not only the city of Samarqand, but the region will have the opportunity to pass free screening. (Source: Uzbekistan Today Newspaper)