June 27, 2007
Politics:
Tenth plenary session of Senate to open on June 29
Economics:
Afghan delegation visits Tashkent and holds talks on cooperation
New large beer producer to launch production soon
Autooyna - UzDaewooAuto's supplier of auto glass
Society:
Uzbekistan destroys about 800 kilograms of narcotics
Conference on support of women entrepreneurs held
SES holds training workshop for flower growers of Uzbekistan
POLITICS
TENTH PLENARY SESSION OF SENATE TO OPEN ON JUNE 29
Tenth plenary session of the Senate of Oliy Majlis (Parliament) of Uzbekistan will open on June 29. This decision was made by the Senate Kengash (council).
The senators will consider a number of laws adopted by the Legislative Chamber and submitted to the Senate for approval.
The Senate will also consider other issues within its competency.
ECONOMICS
AFGHAN DELEGATION VISITS TASHKENT AND HOLDS TALKS ON COOPERATION
Delegation led by Minister of Energy and Water resources of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Muhammad Ismail-Khan is visiting Uzbekistan. Members of the delegation met with the chairman of “Uzbekenergo” State Joint-Stock Company B.Teshabaev.
During the meeting they have discussed further broadening of cooperation between the two countries, particularly, the ties in the area of energy.
Now the definite works on reestablishing the economy, creating the jobs for the people, and developing the healthcare and education are underway in Afghanistan following the long civil war. In that Afghanistan depends on the support of the world community, including Uzbekistan.
Cooperation in the area of electrical power supply is important in mutual relations of the two countries. Uzbekistan is able to increase such deliveries to Afghanistan in the future.
In November 2006, the memorandum on construction of sites at project of electrical power transmission system along the direction of Surkhon-Hairaton was signed.
The head of the Afghan delegation has confirmed that his country was interested in cooperation with Uzbekistan in this area.
NEW LARGE BEER PRODUCER TO LAUNCH PRODUCTION SOON
The beer market is one of the fast developing sectors of the national food industry. Beer production is growing at the average annual rate of 13%, and in 2006 exceeded 1.2 million hectoliters.
The Uzbek beer industry is currently represented by 10 large beer brewing factories, a relatively large number of mini-breweries, and bars brewing beer in limited volumes, primarily for clients.
The largest beer producers of Uzbekistan include Inter-Rohat Uzbek-American JV (Kibray brand), Mehnat-Pivo (Patriot), Almalykpivo, Pivzavod No. 1 Uzbek-Czech JV (Pulsar), Raupxon (Yunusabad), Ziyobakhsh Uni Trading Uzbek-German JV (Asia). The joint production capacity of these producers exceeds 2.2 million hectoliters yearly.
Another large beer brewing factory is under construction. The Baltic Beverages Holding and Sarbast Plus plan to launch the production in July 2007. The brewery's projected production capacity is 1 million hectoliters yearly. It is expected that the launch of the new factory will become a landmark event for the Uzbek beer market. A large new player may seriously affect the sales of the current market leader Inter-Rohat JV, and change the situation in the market in general.
In view of this, the press service of the State Committee of Uzbekistan for Demonopolisation, Support of Competition and Entrepreneurship said the committee would conduct a market research and analyse the competition in the production and sales of beer.
AUTOOYNA - UZDAEWOOAUTO'S SUPPLIER OF AUTO GLASS
Ferghana based Autooyna (Auto Glass) produces auto glass for UzDaewooAuto. The enterprise is contributing to the implementation of the production localization programme. Previously, the enterprise produced windshields and autoglass only for Nexia, Tico and Damas. Now it also supplies glass for Matiz cars.
The production is based on the advanced foreign technology and stands out for its quality and durability. It is mainly supplied to the local and Russian markets.
"We are planning to work at full capacity," said Deputy Director of the enterprise Shavkatjon Tursunov. "The number of orders is growing from year to year. This year, we plan to produce over 160,000 auto glass sets for UzDaewooAuto. Our current supplier is Quartz Joint Stock Company."
The enterprise employs 430 people. Measures are being taken in line with the Presidential Decree of 5 January 2006 "On measures to stimulate the expansion of cooperation between large industrial enterprises and services production on the basis of home-based labour expansion".
This year 40 new jobs have been created, and another 60 vacancies are to be opened soon. These workers will produce different sorts of consumer goods at home.
SOCIETY
UZBEKISTAN DESTROYS ABOUT 800 KILOGRAMS OF NARCOTICS
Law enforcement officials from Uzbekistan on Tuesday destroyed about 800 kilograms kilograms of narcotics at a factory outside the capital Tashkent.
“The drugs were confiscated from drug dealer as a result of anti-drug operations by Uzbek law enforcement bodies in a special operation called Opium,” said Kamol Dustmetov, director of the National Centre on Drug Control under the Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan.
The UN Office on Drugs and Crime earlier said that the increase in seizures was partly attributable to improvements in Uzbek law enforcement.
Law enforcement officials from Uzbekistan also destroyed drugs planted on the area of 2,58 hectares.
CONFERENCE ON SUPPORT OF WOMEN ENTREPRENEURS HELD
In the report delivered by President Karimov at the meeting of the Cabinet of Ministers devoted to the results of country's socioeconomic development in 2006, among the priority economic reforms for 2007 the President specifically mentioned all-round support of small business and private enterprise development, and based on these, the improvement of population's welfare and employment indicators.
This was discussed during the recently held conference on the efficiency of entrepreneurial activity of women, UzA reported. The meeting was organised by the Women's Committee of Uzbekistan, Tadbirkor Ayol (Woman Entrepreneur) Businesswomen's Association, and other organizations. Among the participants of the conference were members of the Legislative Chamber of Oliy Majlis (parliament), the representatives of the state customs and tax committees, the Chamber of Industry and Commerce of Uzbekistan, Central Bank, and National Association of Non-Governmental Nonprofit Organisations of Uzbekistan.
In reinforcing the status and role of women in the society the main guide is the Presidential Decree dated 25 May 2004 "On additional measures to support the activity of Women's Committee of Uzbekistan". The document has become an important factor in improving the efficiency of work on protection of women's rights, support of their active participation in socio-political, economic and cultural life, and further improvement of their spiritual ad intellectual level.
The legal framework has been created in the country for gender equality and equal opportunities for men and women in all spheres of the society's life. Special attention is being paid to the employment problems. Thanks to the opportunities opened by the initiative providing framework for home-based labour, some 262,000 new jobs have been created since last year. Women entrepreneurs who contribute largely to the country's progress have received some 42 billion soums in loans from commercial banks.
For the purpose of developing women's entrepreneurship, attention is being given to the deepening of their knowledge and qualifications as business-ladies. In the past few years over 40,000 women attended professional trainings and now about 80% of them are employed. Around 30,000 women improved their qualifications in the sphere of business. Of them 75% today operate their own businesses.
The opportunities created in Uzbekistan for small business and private enterprise entities contribute to women's activation as entrepreneurs. Tadbirkor Ayol Association provides them all possible support in this. In particular, it has developed a special project aimed at expanding the knowledge of market economy among women entrepreneurs in Ferghana region.
During the conference many women entrepreneurs received answers to the questions they were interested in.
Among the participants of the conference was Deputy Prime Minister of Uzbekistan, the Chairman of the Women's Committee S. Inamova.
SES HOLDS TRAINING WORKSHOP FOR FLOWER GROWERS OF UZBEKISTAN
A training seminar on modern floriculture was held in Tashkent. Floriculture is becoming increasing popular in Uzbekistan. This is particularly seen in Tashkent, where the annual flower market sales total US$3 million.
Meanwhile, flower growing is a labour intensive and at the same time very delicate work. The importance of enhancing the skills of floriculture specialists was discussed at the seminar organised in cooperation with the SES – The Goodween House of Flowers.
The SES was established in Germany in 1983, and now unites over 6,500 skilled flower growers. The society has offices in 152 countries and renders consulting and practical assistance services to the companies engaged in flower-growing, according to Jahon.
The legal framework for the society's operation on the territory of Uzbekistan is constituted by the intergovernmental agreement between Uzbekistan and the Federative Republic of Germany.