DAILY NEWS HERALD #70

FINANCE
Volume of household deposits in banks reaches 15.8 trillion soums – Central Bank of Uzbekistan
In the first quarter of 2019, the volume of household deposits in banks grew by 8.1% and amounted to 15.8 trillion soums, the Central Bank said (currency rates of CB RU from 01.01.2019, 1$= 8451.37 soums).

Deposits in national currency increased by 10.3%, and their share reached 62%. The balance of foreign currency deposits grew by 4.7%, and their share in the total deposits of the population decreased from 39% to 38%.
The number of deposits in foreign currency rose sharply in 2017, when the soum depreciated sharply, but has since been steadily declining. This was achieved thanks to the actions of the Central Bank to reduce the dollarization of the economy.
In 2018, the regulator has repeatedly changed the order and standards of mandatory reservation of banks. For example, since August of last year, the procedure was established for forming mandatory reserves only in national currency regardless of the currency of liabilities attracted by banks.
The Central Bank explained this by stating that they are trying to increase the attractiveness of interest rates on deposits in national currency.
(Source: Kun.uz)
Almalyk MMC sells 600 grams of Au-1 gold for 209.06 million soums in the Republican Stock Exchange
The Republican Stock Exchange (RSE) “Toshkent” held the first exchange trading for the sale of gold. The Almalyk MMC acted as the seller, the website of the trading platform reports.
AMMC sold 600 grams of Au-1 gold for 209.06 million soums. The exchange quotation was fixed almost at the level of the starting price and amounted to 348.4 thousand soums per 1 gram of gold (currency rates of CB RU from 01.01.2019, 1$= 8451.37 soums).
It is noteworthy that precious metals began to be sold through the exchange trades of UZEX in accordance with the government resolution of March 1, 2019.
To participate in the bidding, manufacturers of jewelry and other products must submit to the RSE a license giving the right to engage in the business, (issued by the Agency for precious metals at the Central Bank). Selling such items for export is prohibited.
(Source: Kun.uz)
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS
US delegation to visit Uzbekistan
On April 10, 2019, the delegation of the United States of America led by the Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad will arrive in Tashkent city.
At bilateral consultations, it is planned to exchange views on the situation in Afghanistan and prospects for launching the mechanism of inter-Afghan peace negotiations, to discuss the issues of implementation of socio-economic and infrastructure projects in Afghanistan initiated by Uzbekistan.
(Source: Web site of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
Meeting in Beijing
On April 8, 2019, in Beijing the Special Representative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Afghanistan Ismatulla Irgashev met with the Special Envoy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the Afghan Affairs of China Deng Xijun.
The parties exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan and the prospects for launching a peaceful intra-Afghan dialogue aimed at establishing a lasting peace and noted that the countries attach great importance of joining the efforts of the international community to resolve the conflict in Afghanistan.
The meeting discussed the participation of the PRC in the activities of the Educational Center for training of Afghan citizens in Termez, the implementation of other various sector projects.
Deng Xijun expressed China’s readiness to assist in preparing of the Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway project. In this regard, he emphasized the significance of the project for the entire region, the development of Afgahnistan’s transport infrastructure with further access to the South Asian countries.
The parties also addressed the issues that are planned to be included on the agenda of the upcoming meeting of the SCO-Afghanistan Contact Group in Bishkek.
(Source: Web site of the MFA of the Republic of Uzbekistan)
Uzbekistan – Belarus joint meeting
On April 9, Minsk hosted the first Uzbekistan – Belarus joint meeting on cooperation in science and technology.
The meeting was chaired by the Minister of Innovation Development of Uzbekistan Ibragim Abdurakhmanov and Chairman of the State Committee on Science and Technology of the Republic of Belarus Alexander Shumilin. It was attended by members of the government of the two countries, representatives of academia.
At the event, the state and prospects of scientific and technical cooperation between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Belarus were discussed. Views were exchanged on acceleration and commercialization of innovative projects. The Uzbek side forwarded a proposal to establish cooperation between the technoparks of the two countries.
The priority area of Uzbekistan – Belarus scientific and technical cooperation is the implementation of joint projects on application of innovative technologies in energy, medicine, information and communication technologies, digital economy, aerospace, robotics, food safety, ecology, agricultural production, chemical, mining industry.
At the same time, a high assessment was given to the developments presented within the framework of the competition of scientific and technical projects for 2019-2021. An agreement was reached on approving the program of three-year Uzbekistan – Belarus scientific and technical cooperation. Common approaches have been developed to exchange scientists and specialists in order to learn each other’s experience, hold conferences, workshops, exhibitions and other events in scientific, technical and other fields.
On the same day, Uzbekistan delegation visited the Belarusian National Technical University, became acquainted with activities of the technology park established at the educational institution. An Agreement of Cooperation was signed between Yashnabod Technopark under the Ministry of Innovation Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Polytechnic Technopark under the Belarusian National Technical University.
(Source: UzA)
Uzbekistan – Austria: New opportunities for trade and economic cooperation
On April 9, Tashkent hosted a regular meeting of Uzbekistan – Austria Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation.
The event was attended by heads of responsible ministries and agencies, companies operating in the economic, trade, industrial, investment, scientific and educational spheres, in agriculture and water management, energy, light and chemical industries.
The Minister of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan Sardor Umurzakov, Director General for Foreign Economic Relations of the Federal Ministry of Digital and Economic Affairs of Austria Franz Wessig and others noted that bilateral cooperation is developing in many areas, including in trade and economic sphere.
There are about 50 joint ventures with Austrian investments in Uzbekistan. In 2018, the trade turnover grew by 40 percent. Currently, products of chemical industry, agriculture, and metal products are exported from Uzbekistan to Austria.
At the meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, it was noted that the parties are equally interested in further increasing the volume of mutual trade, expanding trade, economic, scientific, technical and investment cooperation.
As it was noted, the parties have great potential for developing cooperation in pharmaceuticals, light industry, science and technology, tourism, standardization and ecology. At the same time, Uzbekistan has the opportunity to provide Austrian consumers with high-quality textiles, selected dried fruits, processed fruits and vegetables.
At the event, agreements were reached on construction of plants for production of steel structures, metal galvanizing, modern greenhouses for growing melon crops in Surkhandarya region in Angren free economic zone.
On the same day, Uzbekistan – Austria business forum was held in Tashkent.
At the event, issues of production and implementation of joint projects were discussed. Representatives of the State Committee for Tourism Development, Uzkimyosanoat Joint-Stock Company, Uztuqimachiliksanoat Association, the Pharmaceutical Industry Development Agency under the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan presented new projects.
(Source: UzA)
SOCIETY
Survey shows the desired number of children in Uzbek families
Residents of Uzbekistan believe that the family should have three or four children, Center for the study of public opinion “Ijtimoiy fikr” showed the results of a survey.
The majority of participants (73.9%) of the survey agree with the statement that the core meaning and value of the family is the presence of children.
The survey revealed preferences of citizens about the desired number of children in the family. Thus, the majority of Uzbeks are oriented towards a family, in which there are three (35%) or four (30.8%) children. 13.2% of respondents want to have five children and more, mostly citizens of Surkhandarya (34.8%), Khorezm (19%) and Kashkadarya (18.8%) regions.
The study showed that in most Uzbek families, the decision on the birth of the next child is made by the spouses together and one of the main factors when deciding is determination of the number of children in the family (31.5%). Significant conditions for the birth of a next child, according to the respondents, are the health of a mother (22.5%), as well as the material condition of the family (21.7%).
The study also revealed that the population is not sufficiently aware of such concepts as “reproductive health” and “reproductive right” – 37.2% of respondents affirmatively answered the question of whether they know the term “reproductive health” and 23% what “reproductive law” is.
According to the survey, young people showed lack of awareness in these issues: among respondents aged 18–19, 19.1% of respondents are familiar with the concept of “reproductive health”, 10.6% of respondents are familiar with the concept of “reproductive right”. In this regard, it is necessary to intensify the work in the field of legal and medical education of young people, organization and conduct of extensive propaganda and awareness-raising work among the population, especially young people.
During the study period, an increase in the number of respondents who were convinced of the importance of family planning was noted: in 2019, 72.5% of survey participants stated this (in 2018 – 63.8%).
(Source: Kun.uz)
FIRST INTERNATIONAL BAKHSHI ART FESTIVAL
International Bakhshi Art Festival continues
Various conferences, presentations of musical projects, exhibitions and competitions are held within the framework of the International Bakhshi Art Festival.
At the exhibition of national dishes and dishes of people of the world, skilled chefs from different regions of the country are demonstrating the process of preparing delicious dishes from their regions. Exhibitors at the same time as observing the process of making Samarkand flatbreads, tandyr-kebabs of Jizzakh, Kashkadarya and Surkhandarya, can taste them.
Surkhandarya region’s pavilion demonstrates national dishes and dishes from 24 countries. The attention of participants was attracted by Surkhan tandyr kebab and alpamysh-kebab of a meter length.
The process of cooking national dishes by cooks from Jizzakh became especially popular among many people, their taste and appearance is pleasant.
International Bakhshi Art Festival, rich in unforgettable moments, continues.
(Source: UzA)
UZBEKISTAN - THE COUNTRY OF TOURISM
Uzbekistan’s tourism potential is presented in New York
The Consulate General of Uzbekistan in New York, Vatandosh Diaspora Organization and the State Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan for Tourism Development held a large-scale thematic action “Travel to Uzbekistan”.
The event was organized to promote Uzbekistan’s national tourism brand in the United States, establish close relations with compatriots and explore rich historical-cultural heritage of Uzbekistan people.
Compatriots having licenses of Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft companies for passengers’ transportation installed stickers with images of Samarkand, Bukhara and Khiva cities on cars with e-mail addresses of necessary travel websites of Uzbekistan.
Drivers were provided with brochures in English “Ten reasons to visit Uzbekistan” for further distribution among taxi passengers.
The event, which was attended by more than 100 motorists, was broadcasted online and covered by local mass media. The special uniqueness of the event was given by I LOVE UZ inscription, composed by vehicles and imprinted by a quadrocopter.
In March 2019, within the framework of Navruz celebrations in the United States, such thematic actions on distribution of stickers with images of Uzbekistan’s historical cities and brochures “Ten reasons to visit Uzbekistan” were held in the states of California, Illinois, Washington and Pennsylvania.
(Source: UzDaily.com)
SPORT
Uzbek kurash to be included to Games of Islamic Solidarity
An extraordinary General Assembly of the Sport Federation of Islamic Solidarity (SFIS) is being held in Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), during which elections of the president of the organization were held. Prince Abdulaziz Bin Turki Al Faisal Al Saud was elected the head of SFIS for the period 2019-2021 according to the voting results.
In the event, where in addition to the elections, representatives of the National Olympic Committees and the International Sports Federations discuss various thematic issues, projects, organizational moments, and the Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, Jasur Matchanov, takes part. The good news for Uzbekistan was the inclusion of the national form of wrestling - kurash - in the program of the Games of Islamic Solidarity.
“We discussed with the president and the general secretary (SFIS) the possibility of introducing kurash into the games of Islamic solidarity. There is no such discipline in this large-scale tournament. The idea was supported. We contacted the president of the International Kurash Association, Director of the Asian Games Department of the OCA, Haidar Farman, who supported this idea and the work has already begun. We will not succeed in introducing kurash into the program of the upcoming Games of Islamic Solidarity in 2021, but in 2025 there is such an opportunity and God will give our kurashists to perform and once again conquer the peaks at the Games of Islamic Solidarity,” noted Jasur Matchanov .
It is gratifying that our national sport - kurash, expanding the horizons is included in the program of major international tournaments. For the first time, Kurash entered the program of the V Asian Games in enclosed spaces and martial arts, which took place in Ashgabat in 2017. At the Asian Games in Indonesia last year, kurash was introduced in 2018. Then, medals were awarded in 7 weight categories.
During the visit of President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah and President of the International Kurash Association, Director of the Asian Games OMA, Haidar Farman, in a meeting with the President of the National Olympic Committee Umid Akhmatdzhanov, the decision was made to increase the weight categories at the Asian Games from 7 to 15. Now, Kurash will be included in the program of the Games of Islamic Solidarity.
(Source: UzDaily.com)