April 08, 2009
Politics:
In Tashkent President Talks to Petronas and Sasol Heads
Economics:
Agreement on GTL project signed
Conference discusses improvement of banking system
Water reservoir built in Surkhandarya
Namangan-Based JVs Raise Production to Export Goods
Labor Fairs – a Fine Venue for Jobseekers to Get Jobs
Society:
Commission considers human traffic issues
Sanctuary of the Maker of Collection Second to Koran Reborn
Tashkent to Host National Software Products Contest
POLICY
IN TASHKENT PRESIDENT TALKS TO PETRONAS AND SASOL HEADS
On April 7 this year at the Oksaroy Residence in Tashkent President Islam Karimov received the president of the Malaysian Petronas Corporation Muhammad Hassan Marican and the president and chief executive officer of the South African Sasol Company Pat Davies, Jahon Information Agency reported.
“The cooperation of Uzbekistan with Petronas Corporation is gradually developing,” President Islam Karimov said, welcoming the top-level businessmen, “the successful implementation of a number of projects confirms that.”
During the State visit paid by President of Uzbekistan to Malaysia in October 2005 the Uzbekneftegaz National Holding Company and Petronas Corporation signed the Memorandum of Cooperation, as well as the agreement on the joint exploration of oil and gas deposits in Uzbekistan.
At the moment, the geological exploration works are being held at the Aral Sea basin on the Usturt Plateau, the northwest of Uzbekistan, and Surkhandarya investment blocks, the south of the country. The sides are about to launch the technical feasibility studies of the project that would involve the construction of a GTL-plant, the production facility to produce a synthetic fuel from purified methane-rich gas on the so-called “gas-to-liquids” (GTL) technology.
The total volume of investments the Petronas Corporation is going to make into Uzbekistan estimated at nearly 2 billion US dollars. The engineering, procurement and construction works shall be accomplished mainly by Sasol Company, the world leader in introducing such technologies.
Petronas is a transnational corporation with its presence at more than 30 countries around the world. Its operations encompass such areas as exploration and logging of the oil and gas deposits, processing and trading with oil products and LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) – the practices combined in a petrochemical dictionary as upstream and downstream works.
Uzbekistan and Petronas Corporation cooperate not only in the sphere of upstream and downstream works in implementing the oil and gas projects but also closely interact in cadres training for the oil and gas sector.
Headquartered in the city of Johannesburg, the capital city of the South African Republic, the Sasol Company was established in 1950. It operates both subsidiary and affiliate offices at more than 30 countries of the world and employs over 34,000 people. The company is listed on both the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) and New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
Sasol Company is notable for its technologies on producing a synthetic fuel, also known as a synfuel from natural gas and coal in line with the so-called Fischer-Tropsch synthesis – the chemical reaction process conducted first by German scientists Franz Fischer and Hans Tropsch in early 20s of the last century. The production of the synfuel from coal is mostly known among professionals as a CTL technology – “coal-to-liquids”.
The elaboration and commercialization of both CTL and GTL technologies has been preconditioned, according to Sasol itself, by the lack of oil and gas deposits on the territory of South Africa and the need to ensure the energy security of this one of the prosperous countries in the African continent.
Sasol is a leading company in the chemical research. It has accumulated a substantial experience not only in producing a synfuel, but also in the field of chemical industry, as a whole.
In 1999 the Sasol Company was the first in the world to certify the use of synthetic jet fuel in the mixture 50 to 50 along with usual oil jet fuel. In April 2008 the company again has been the first to certify the use of a 100-percent synthetic jet fuel. The aircraft flown using such fuel is known to emit relatively lower quantities of emission foul gases.
The construction of the GTL-CTL plant in Uzbekistan along with cooperation with Petronas and Sasol will serve for further development of the nation’s oil and gas industry, and particularly, growth of its potential in the sphere of petrochemistry.
At the Tashkent talks Muhammad Hassan Marican and Pat Davies have thanked the Uzbek Leader for a warm welcome and said that Petronas and Sasol had been interested in more engagement in the investment projects in Uzbekistan.
ECONOMY
AGREEMENT ON GTL PROJECT SIGNED
Uzbekneftegaz national holding company, Petronas of Malaysia and Sasol of South African Republic signed an Agreement on the main principles of implementation of the project of production of synthetic liquid fuel in Uzbekistan and a Memorandum of understanding on cooperation, National News Agency UzA reported.
The signing took place during the visit of the president of Petronas Muhammad Hasan Marikan and the general executive director of Sasol Pat Davis to Tashkent on 7 April. The heads of the two companies held talks in a number of ministries and departments of Uzbekistan.
“Our corporation highly values the cooperation with Uzbekistan,” Muhammad Hasan Marikan said. “We are interested in expansion of cooperation with Uzbekneftegaz.”
CONFERENCE DISCUSSES IMPROVEMENT OF BANKING SYSTEM
Uzbekistan Banking-Finance Academy will hold national scientific-practical conference "Improvement of banking system and investment activity of commercial banks" in May 2009, according to Uzreport Information Portal.
The conference aimed at exchange information on scientific works on decreasing impact of global financial crisis to the country's economy. In particular, participants will analyze tax-budget policy during financial crisis, management of banking risks within monetary policy, prevention of risks in commercial banks, etc.
Representatives of banks, financial bodies, financial-credit organization, universities and institutions will participate in the event.
WATER RESERVOIR BUILT IN SURKHANDARYA
Construction of a reservoir for mud water storage has completed in Altynsay district of Surkhandarya region, UzA reported.
According to local specialists, previously mud water used to cause serious harm to water and gas pipes, as well as roads in the villages.
With opening of the new construction, the problem has been solved and mud water will now be collected in the reservoir.
The reservoir will provide the opportunity to improve supply of water to five villages in the area, as well as irrigate lands on almost 2,000 hectares.
Thus, in Obshir village 200 hectares of new lands will be brought into use to expand the territory of gardens.
“For many years we used to have shortages of irrigation water. The new reservoir will increase yields,” Hidirali Tillayev of the village said.
More than 180,000 cubic meters of earthworks were implemented during the construction of the reservoir.
NAMANGAN-BASED JVS RAISE PRODUCTION TO EXPORT GOODS
Last year the Uzbek-Russian-Afghani RAU-Tom Joint Venture in the Pop District in Namangan Province produced 270,000 pairs of galoshes, according to the Khalq sozi newspaper.
“The 90 percent of our produce is exported,” the executive officer of the company Odiljon Mullajonov has said. “Based on foreign technology we produce eight kinds of goods. At the moment, we are working on procuring new technological line. After implementing this project the volume of production and the quality of products will grow. Besides, we will create 60 more new jobs.”
The modernization held at the company bear expected results. Thanks to introduction of a steam-boiler last year the company saves eight million Uzbek soums per month.
This year the company plans to introduce new technologies, increase production twice in comparison with last year thanks to expanding the number of foreign orders, in other words to produce 500,000 pairs, as well as organizing output of sheathing which was earlier delivered from abroad.
There are many economically flourishing enterprises at the district such as “PopFen” and “Palma Teksil” that have been launched along with foreign partners.
“The joint enterprises based in our district last year made goods worth over 13 billion Uzbek soums,” the Deputy khokim (governor) of the district Abdukadyr Nazarov said. “In particular, products worth 6 million US dollars were exported.”
LABOR FAIRS – A FINE VENUE FOR JOBSEEKERS TO GET JOBS
A special attention is now being paid in the city of Navoi as much as nationwide to increase the level of employment, in particular, provide women and youth with jobs, the National News Agency UzA reported.
As a part of this work the Municipal center for employment assistance has organized labor fair.
Such large enterprises as Navoi Mining and Smelting Enterprise, Navoiazot, Kyzylkumcement, Navoiyelektrokimyozavodi, Navoiyelektrotarmoklari, Navoiydonmahsulotlari and Navoi Thermoelectric Power Station took part at it, according to the report. As a result, 135 local people received jobs.
“For over the past period of this year over 1700 people were employed,” the acting director of the Navoi Municipal center for employment assistance Rakhim Elmurodov said. “The new jobs are created thanks to effectively using productive capacity, organizing small enterprises, developing the businesses, bettering residential areas, as well as repairing and building apartment houses. Besides, above 300 housewives got an opportunity to collect their revenues for home-stay work.”
SOCIETY
COMMISSION CONSIDERS HUMAN TRAFFIC ISSUES
The National interdepartmental commission for counteracting the trade in humans held a session at the General prosecutor’s office to discuss the work of the territorial commissions in Andijan and Bukhara regions.
The participants said human traffic was an important problem for the whole world community and fighting it was one of the priority tasks of each state.
Given that the migration processes lead to increase in human traffic cases, it is necessary to coordinate the activities of the law-enforcement and other organs, local self-government bodies and NGOs, it was noted.
The national commission criticized the work of the territorial commissions in the named two regions and defined measures to improve their activities.
SANCTUARY OF THE MAKER OF COLLECTION SECOND TO KORAN REBORN
The al-Bukhariy memorial complex in the settlement of Khartang close to Samarkand in Uzbekistan now has turned into a place of pilgrimage by Muslims from around the world, the national newspapers wrote.
It is pleasant to know that for over the years of independence this sacred venue has fully changed, as well as gained the most beautiful and unique look. It was reconstructed under immediate guidance of President Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan.
The best architects, people’s masters from all areas nationwide participated in erection of the complex. For example, the famous Samarkand master Mirumar Asadov along with his followers erected the astonishingly beautiful mausoleum.
With its form of a classical cube with cupola it reminds the burial-vault 0f Samanids (one of the medieval ruling dynasties) in Bukhara. One can endlessly admire the glazed tiles in the form of geometrical and plant patterns which are iridescent. Each detail of the interior – whether it is the carved doors or columns, inner vaults or painted ceilings – all of these are made with love and meant yet for many years to come.
Abu Abdulla Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhariy was born in 810. He was an eminent scholar and theologian. At the age of six he knew by heart the Holy Book of Koran. At the age of puberty, during the years of studies at madrassah he had learnt perfectly the collection of ahadith (the statements by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), i.e. his sayings, deeds, and approvals, etc.) by Imam Malik “Al-Muwatto” composed of 70,000 ahadith. In later years he collected about 600,000 ahadith. The work created by him became the best book after the Holy Koran in Islam.
At the moment, the settlement of Khatrang became a truly heavenly venue. Along the broad and strait motorway the two-storied cottages were built and the tidiness and order prevail. The nature awakens and the tops of plane-trees turn green as it was the six centuries ago.
Each year the pilgrims not only from all corners of Uzbekistan but also from all around the world come to visit the place to pay a due respect to the ashes of famous scholar.
TASHKENT TO HOST NATIONAL SOFTWARE PRODUCTS CONTEST
The national forum of programmers of Uzbekistan and the national exhibition of software products “Best Soft Uzbekistan 2009” will take place in Tashkent in May, Jahon Information Agency reported.
The nation-wide contest of the best software products is held for the third year in a row as a part of these events.
The state organizations and establishments, as well as enterprises and companies registered in Uzbekistan, which are the participants of the exhibition “Best Soft Uzbekistan”, may take part at the contest. Only the software developed in Uzbekistan can participate at the contest, according to the report.
Awarding the winners of competition will take place in three nominations: “The brand of the year software”, “The best introduction project of 2008” and “The best company in the IT-education sphere”.
The deadline for filing applications is May 1, 2009.