1 April, 2012
Economy:
Uzbekistan provides additional benefits to foreign investors
Society:
Cashing in the Potential of Institutions
Tourism, Important Factor of Economic Development
Barno Becomes Winner of International Competition
Sculpture of Contemporary Uzbekistan
OUZBEKISTAN A «EURONEWS»
ECONOMY
Uzbekistan provides additional benefits to foreign investors
The Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of April 10, 2012 "On additional measures to stimulate foreign direct investments" expanded the system of guarantees, privileges and preferences for foreign investors and enterprises with foreign investment.
The newly established enterprises with foreign investment, where contribution of foreign investors is equivalent to at least $5 million, within 10 years from the date of official registration have the right to use rules and regulations to pay tax on corporate income, value added tax (turnover on the sale of goods, works and services), property tax, tax on the improvement and development of social infrastructure, unified social tax, single tax, as well as mandatory contributions to the Republican Road Fund and the Fund for the reconstruction, refurbishment and equipping of educational and medical institutions that were in power on the date of registration, the document says.
The order in which construction of the necessary external, outside the production site, engineering and communication networks within investment projects worth more than $50 million and the share of foreign investors of at least 50% is carried out at the expense of budget funds and other domestic sources of financing.
Under the Decree, when selling state assets to foreign investors the State Commission for conducting tenders has the right to sell low liquidity facilities on the balance of public authorities at zero redemption cost, without competition through direct contracts with the investor's specific investment obligations at the request of foreign investors to set up enterprises with foreign investment.
Measures have been taken to eliminate bureaucratic barriers and obstacles in working with foreign investors.
Today, in Uzbekistan there are more than 4.2 thousand enterprises with foreign investment in the leading sectors of the economy. Each year, the country acquires more than $3 billion of foreign investment, mostly direct investments, which accounted for over 26.6% of the total investment in the economy. This is a real evidence of the growing interest and confidence of foreign investors in the stability and reliability of the economy, prospects for its development.
Previously we reported on additional measures to strengthen the incentives of exporting enterprises and expanding exports of competitive products within the Presidential decree of March 26.
Enterprises producing goods (works, services) have the right to participate in international tenders for projects implemented in the territory of the republic by means of international financial institutions, donor countries, foreign governments, on equal terms with foreign participants, including the subsequent contracting in foreign currency for the supply of manufactured goods.
They also may enter into contracts with non-residents in foreign currency in terms of direct supply contracts provided for use of goods (works, services) of own production in the country. Such agreements are treated as contracts on export. They are registered only in an authorized bank with the provision of tax incentives for exporters.
Since April 1, 2012 part of earnings, directed to exporting companies through current accounts on repayment of principal debt on foreign currency loans for new construction, modernization and technological upgrading of existing facilities, shall be exempt from the mandatory sale of foreign currency to authorized banks for the period until full repayment of principal debt according to the document.
The most important task of enterprises is the widespread introduction of modern quality management systems and certification of products for compliance with international standards.
Micro firms and small enterprises are subject to existing order to
reduce the tax base for single tax payment provided for the purchase of new equipment. It decreases the amount of funds allocated for implementation of quality management systems, certification of products for compliance with international standards, as well as the acquisition of facilities for laboratory tests and trials. Commercial banks are recommended to expand the volume of factoring services for export transactions with an increase in the time limit from 60 to 90 days.
Certain categories of company-producers and foreign trade companies of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investments and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan are allowed to export products at actual world market prices, including lowered cost.
The measures accepted by the government, according to analysts, will improve the stability and reliability of the national economy in conditions of increased competition in the global and regional investment markets.(Source: UzReport.com)
SOCIETY
Cashing in the Potential of Institutions
Education institutions contribute to the promotion of tourism
Advancement of tourism in Uzbekistan should be provided for by young qualified specialists, as it was stressed at a conference in Tashkent organized to discuss issues related to training tour industry specialists.
Today, Tashkent State University of Economics, Samarqand Institute of Economy and Service, Bukhoro and Urganch State Universities, Management Development Institute of Singapore in Tashkent and sixteen professional colleges are getting involved in training cadres for travel agencies, hotels and catering.
The conference, organized by the Association of Travel Agencies of Uzbekistan and Republican Research-Training Consulting Center of the National Company O’zbekturizm, brought together high-profile tutors from education institutions and tourism industry representatives. Within the discussions there were talked over the qualification requirements the young specialists should correspond, as well as recommendations on the development of vocational education in this direction drew up.
Education institutions should focus on training specialists ready to develop and introduce new tourist products. Much attention, according to travel industry representatives, should be given to training young specialists able to popularize among local and foreign tourists the new and less-developed tourist routes and recreation zones of the country. (Source: Uzbekistan Today Newspaper)
Tourism, Important Factor of Economic Development
Uzbekistan has a huge potential in tourism sphere. The unique historical monuments, places of worship, beautiful nature of the country, unique culture, rich traditions and customs of Uzbek people attract tourists.
It creates extensive and favorable conditions for expanding cooperation with foreign partners.
The marketing projects, mega-info-tours organized by national company Uzbektourism yielding good results in this direction.
Relationship with more than 200 travel companies of many countries like Italy, Spain, France, Japan, China, Britain, Russia, Netherlands, Hungary and Singapore established in the framework of them.
In 2011, about hundred representatives of 600 tourist agencies and companies from almost 40 countries have participated in the conferences devoted to the prospects of tourism development and strengthening profitable relationships.
According to the national company Uzbektourism, currently 828 tourist organizations: 510 tour operators and 318 hotels operating in the country.
In the opinion of the experts, the project mega-info-tours will increase the inflow of tourists to Uzbekistan in 2012 on average by 15 per cent.
It should be noted that the provision of modern hotel services is an important factor in tourism development and growth of tourists’ inflow.
Therefore, today the hotel business is seen as an important industry, significantly contributing to the sustainable development of the economy.
The number of companies, tour operators providing services in this sphere is growing more and more.
Dozens of comfortable hotels, capable to provide services at the level of modern requirements and to receive foreign delegations were built in Uzbekistan in the years of independence.
Existing hotels were reconstructed on the basis of modern and national architecture traditions. One example, before independence there was no five-star hotels in Uzbekistan.
Now, more than 40 of nearly 60 hotels of Tashkent city have a certificate of compliance with international standards.
Most of them are three-, four- and five-star hotels. Hotels of “Intercontinental-Tashkent”, “O’zbekiston”, “Tashkent Palace”, “Le Grande Plaza”, “Markaziy”, “Dedeman Silk Road”, “Grand Mir”, “Radisson SAS Tashkent” are among them.
The specialists in such directions like tourism marketing and management, services, international tourism, hospitality and catering are being prepared at the colleges of Tashkent, Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva, at the tourism departments of the Tashkent State Economic University, the Samarkand Institute of Economics and Service, as well as the Singapore Institute of Management Development in Tashkent.
Special accommodation centers created in these educational institutions play an important role in consolidating the theoretical knowledge of students.
Expansion of individual tourism requires development of compact and comfortable private hotels’ network. Network of private hotels is rapidly developing also in Uzbekistan. They focus on organization of excursions to the historical monuments and the bosom of nature.
In general, a special attention in the country is paid to the consistent improvement of tourism infrastructure and services.
According to Uzbektourism, 124 tourism companies and 55 hotels started working in 2011.
Until the end of this year, it is planned to build 77 hotels, 90 objects of tourist attractions and 70 objects of tourist services.
Such large-scale reforms implemented in the development of all directions of tourism services, including hotel industry, no doubt, serve to further growth of the economy and wellbeing of people. (UzA News Agency)
Barno Becomes Winner of International Competition
Third year student of the State Conservatory of Uzbekistan Ismatullayeva Barno became the winner of the XVIII International Students’ Singing Competition Bella Voce held in Moscow.
Barno studied at the College of Arts in Andijan region in 2009, won prizes in national contest for students of specialized secondary educational institutions in the direction of music and young singers’ competition named after Nazira Akhmedova, in 2010 was awarded with Nihol award.(UzA News Agency)
Sculpture of Contemporary Uzbekistan
Fresh ideas of local masters
Unconventional artistic statues of modern sculptures displayed in the capital’s Gallery of Fine Arts attract the attention of connoisseurs of the beautiful, harmony and national school of plastic art. The exposition named From Edges to Shapes is aimed at familiarizing the wider public with the latest works of Uzbek masters.
Sculpture a one of the oldest types of the art was emerged on the territory of Uzbekistan many centuries ago. Our forefathers with great ingenuity made fine statues, intricate figurines and articles from a lump of clay, rocks and other materials that is attested by numerous monuments of the history. Having experienced the impact of various cultures replacing each other in the course of time in Central Asia, the Uzbekistan’s sculpture absorbed the best and perfect.
Its rise fell to the 20th century, when the national school of plastic art was formed that had faced several stages of development. After gaining independence the country experienced another new rise in artistic creativity of sculptors, painters and masters of other arts. It was the time of liberation of creative minds, revelation of new names and bright achievements in culture and arts sphere.
The exposition From Edges to Shapes demonstrates such directions of modern sculpture of Uzbekistan as avant-garde and postmodern displayed by works of celebrated sculptors and ceramists Robert Avakyan, Tulagan Tojikhojaev, Nazira Quzieva, Ulash Uroqov, Lyudviga Nesterovich, Qurbon Norhurozov, Bayat Mukhtarov and others.
“I take inspiration of articles of the national applied art – woodcarving, golden embroidery, suzani,” tells the painter Bayat Mukhtarov. “Perhaps, this is the reason my works are so unconventional. I work mainly with rocks delivered from Oqtosh and Chimyon Mountains, as well as aluminum, granite, wood and colored glass. Sculpture enables to express my inner state in one or other material.”
According to Doctor of Arts Kamola Akilova, all displayed articles are united with associative and modern properties as well as conditionality, metaphor and plasticity. Each exhibit requires special attitude, associative-metaphorical understanding and complicity.
“My article is about the hero of William Shakespeare’s poem King Lear. It depicts that the hero should sometimes hide his mood under a mask and that is inherited in all people,” explains the sculptor Gulzor Sultonova. “Sculpture gives much to an artist for self-expression in comparison with graphics and painting. It also makes it possible to show off the volume, and it is its distinctive feature. This type of the art is in high development in our country that is attested by articles displayed in the exhibition From Edges to Shapes.”(Source: Uzbekistan Today Newspaper)
A partir du 4 avril la chaine internationale de television «Euronews» a commence la diffusion d’information de 30 secondes «Bienvenue en Ouzbekistan» sur l'investissement et le potentiel touristique de l'Ouzbekistan.
A partir du 7 avril «Euronews», dans sa section economique «Target» a commence la diffusion des reportages analytiques sur l'Ouzbekistan.
Les deux informations rapportent au travail du 5eme Forum international de l'investissement et des Finances qui se tient ces jours-ci a Tachkent.
Vous pouvez regarder ces transmissions selon les horaires suivants:
1) Video promotionnelle «Bienvenue en Ouzbekistan»:
les dates les horaires
9 Avril 08:20; 17:12; 19:42
10 Avril 07:40; 17:42; 20:12
11 Avril 08:20; 18:14; 21:23
12 Avril 07:40; 18:08; 19:42
13 Avril 08:20; 17:38; 20:53
16 Avril 07:50; 18:08; 20:12
17 Avril 07:20; 17:38; 19:42
2) Des reportages economiques analytiques sur l'Ouzbekistan:
les dates les horaires
7 Avril 09:15; 11:45; 15:45
8 Avril 07:45; 12:15; 00:45
9 Avril 16:45; 20:45
10 Avril 02:45; 05:15; 10:45; 22:45
les dates les horaires
11 Avril 04:45; 05:45; 13:45; 17:45
12 Avril 05:45; 14:15; 20:45
14 Avril 09:15; 11:45; 15:45
15 Avril 07:45; 12:15; 00:45
16 Avril 16:45; 20:45
17 Avril 02:45; 05:15; 10:45; 22:45
18 Avril 04:45; 05:45; 13:45; 17:45
19 Avril 05:45; 14:15; 20:45
En outre, vous pouvez aussi regarder la transmission sur l'Ouzbekistan en cliquant sur le lien suivant:
http://fr.euronews.com/2012/04/07/ouzbekistan-croissance-economique-solide-grace-au-gaz-naturel/
Nous serions tres reconnaissants a toutes les personnes qui souhaitent nous communiquer leurs commentaires sur cette reportages. Courriel: press@uzbekistan.be