INFORMATION DIGEST OF PRESS OF UZBEKISTAN # 126

June 29, 2017

POLITICS
President of Uzbekistan received the head of “Lukoil” company

Festive event held in Tashkent on 27 June on the occasion of Press and Mass Media Workers Day

OFFICIALLY
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved an investment agreement with Peugeot Citroen Automobiles S.A. on the construction of assembly facilities for French cars

EXPORTS
Uzbekistan currently is fifth among the world’s producers of cherries, with 100,000 tons per year. At least 30% of it is annually exported to the CIS and far-abroad countries

POLITICS

President of Uzbekistan received the head of “Lukoil” company
On June 28, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev received the president of the Russian company “Lukoil” Vagit Alekperov, who is in our country on a working visit.
The head of our state, warmly welcoming the guest, noted the dynamically developing fruitful cooperation with the Russian company in the oil and gas sector, with satisfaction.
“Lukoil”, which is one of the leading oil and gas corporations in the world, is successfully implementing a number of large investment projects in our country – from exploration and development of promising deposits to deep processing of hydrocarbon raw materials and sale of finished products in the domestic and foreign markets.
At present, the geological study of the Ustyurt block and development of oil and gas condensate fields of the South-Western Gissar are conducted jointly.
Activities on development of Kandym group of fields with construction of a modern gas processing complex, which, in the near future, will allow to annually process over 8 billion cubic meters of natural gas and receive commercial gas in-demand, are under way.
In addition, the “Khauzak” and “Shadi” fields are being developed, and geological prospecting is continuing in Kungrad.
To date, the volume of attracted investments of “Lukoil” company in joint projects in the oil and gas sector of our country is 6,3 billion dollars.
During the meeting, issues of implementation of current and preparation of long-term perspective projects were considered in detail. Particular attention was paid to new projects aimed at deep processing of produced natural gas, as well as to interaction in the sphere of training highly qualified personnel for the industry.
Vagit Alekperov expressed sincere gratitude to the President of our country for the warm welcome and support provided to “Lukoil” projects in Uzbekistan, as well as expressed readiness for further development of full-scale bilateral cooperation in the oil and gas sector.
(Source: UzA)

Festive event held in Tashkent on 27 June on the occasion of Press and Mass Media Workers Day
Large-scale reforms are being implemented in all the spheres of the life of the country under the leadership of President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.
And so mass media workers are required to be even more active and responsive, to show initiative and to give proper and extensive coverage of processes going on in this country.
Special attention was paid to these aspects at this festive event held at the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre on 27 June on the occasion of Press and Mass Media Workers Day.
The event was attended by members of the Senate of Oliy Majlis (parliament) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, deputies of the Legislative Chamber, representatives of ministries and departments, veterans of the journalism sphere, publishers, typographers, professors, teachers and students of the journalism faculties of higher educational establishments.
President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev’s congratulatory message to press and mass media workers was read out by presidential state adviser H.Sultonov.
The chairman of the journalists creative union, S.Hakimov; the chairman of the state committee for physical training and sports, R.Qurbonov; the dean of the international journalism faculty of the Uzbekistan state world languages university; A.Matyoqubov; and others said that from the very first days of the country’s independence, special attention was paid under the leadership of First President Islam Karimov to the development of the country’s national media sphere, to the strengthening of its material-technical base and to issues of turning media into a platform for genuinely free thinking.
Good work is being carried out in this country to hold a sincere and open dialogue with its people, to find solutions in a timely fashion to people’s problems, to take to a qualitatively new level reforms happening in all the spheres of society’s life, to give new substance to the prosperous quality of life and to raise the morality of young people. This also sets new tasks for mass media workers.
The 2017-2021 Action Strategy on five priority areas of the development of the Republic of Uzbekistan was worked out at the initiative of the President.
This strategy sets out new tasks such as creating broad conditions for the comprehensive and rapid development of the state and society and the modernization of the country.
On the basis of this document, modern ways are being introduced to strengthen mass media’ role in society, to protect journalists’ activity, to ensure the transparency of the work of bodies of state administration and to present information about the rights and liberties as well as legitimate interests of individuals and corporate bodies.
As a result of care being provided to the media sphere, special attention is being paid to improving the quality of media products. Systemic work is being carried out to introduce modern technologies into mass media, providing support and encouragement to this sphere’s workers, to upgrading their professional qualifications and to supplying people with objective and truthful news reports. Large-scale projects are being implemented to further strengthen cooperation between the press services of ministries, departments and public establishments and mass media.
A Presidential decree dated 12 January 2017 “On establishing a commission for the popularization of reading and the raising of book-reading culture and for the development of the system of publishing and distributing books” is of important significance to improving the work of publishing houses in conformity with the requirements of the current era and further raising the book-reading culture of young people.
During the event, diplomas and gifts were given to the winners of the “The most active journalist of the year” creative contest. Awards were also given to the winners of the “The most active sports journalist” republican contest arranged by the state committee for physical training and sports.
“Today it is time to work harder with more resolve and creative endeavour than ever before. In our country, attention is constantly given to providing comprehensive support to mass media workers,” says Ulughbek Rahmonqulov, editor of the “Toshkent” television channel and winner of the “The most active journalist of the year” creative contest.
A play entitled “Mirzo Ulughbek” of the Uzbek National Academic Drama Theatre was presented at the event.
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A festive walk took place on the same day in the capital city’s Ghofur Ghulom park of culture and recreation. Artistic evenings, the sale of books and sports competitions were arranged for mass media workers and their children. Music programmes were shown. All the attractions there were free for children.
(Source: UzA)

OFFICIALLY

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has approved an investment agreement with Peugeot Citroen Automobiles S.A. on the construction of assembly facilities for French cars
The document outlines unprecedented tax and customs benefits that will be granted to the participants of the project on the establishment of a light commercial vehicles plant in the specialized industrial zone Jizzakh.
The joint venture Uzbekistan Peugeot Citroen Automotive (UzPCA), which will be founded by joint efforts of the Uzbek Uzavtosanoat and the French Peugeot Citroen Automobiles S.A with an equal distribution of shares, is destined to become the key link in the construction of the new plant. Its authorized capital is 29.3 million euros, and the project cost totals 133.3 million euros.
The head of state released the joint venture UzPCA for the period of construction, as well as for the whole decade from the date of commissioning, from all taxes on the territory of Uzbekistan, as well as from compulsory payments to the Republican Road Fund.
The producers of components, materials and tools that are engaged in the project, are also released from the value added tax and corporate profit tax payments, as well as property tax in the part of fixed assets used for the production of abovementioned products.
The foreign staff of the JV will not pay personal income tax during the indicated period, and foreign companies providing UzPCA services will not be taxed on the services provided. In addition, the parent company Peugeot Citroen Automobiles S.A. is exempt from income tax on income received in the form of dividends paid by UzPCA.
The local participants of the project e subject to a wide list of benefits too. Uzavtosanoat, Avtosanoat Engineering, Uzogirsanoatloyiha, Trest 12 and its subcontractors are exempted for 10 years from value-added tax payments for the amount of work and services rendered during the construction period. Among other things, Uzavtosanoat received preferential treatment for land tax in part of the plot used for the construction of the new plant.
As for customs concessions, the President released from customs payments the goods that are imported into the country for the production and maintenance of light commercial vehicles produced within the framework of the project for 10 years, as well as the goods that are needed for the construction of the plant.
As of 2019, it is planned to produce up to 16,000 cars a year for local and foreign markets. The company will specialize in full industrial cycle of light commercial vehicles under the brands Peugeot and Citroen, intended for passenger and goods transportation.
It is also expected that the joint venture will sustain the localization level of at least 50% in the first year of production by attracting Uzbek manufacturers of automotive component parts.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

EXPORTS

Uzbekistan currently is fifth among the world’s producers of cherries, with 100,000 tons per year. At least 30% of it is annually exported to the CIS and far-abroad countries
In 2016 alone, Uzbekistan exported cherries for more than $50 million, and these numbers are growing steadily. Meanwhile, teamed up with the departments concerned, Uzagroexport has been actively working not only on expansion of exports, but also on diversification and expansion of their borders. For instance, along with major markets, Uzbekistan has shipped fresh cherries to Great Britain, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and other states this year.
It is worth noting that after painstaking study of the requirements of the Korean side, the responsible departments joined efforts and lifted the ban on exports of Uzbek cherries to South Korea. Export contracts were concluded and stable supplies were set going.
Korean partners appreciate the quality of Uzbek cherries and plan to expand the range and volumes of imports of fruits and vegetables. In particular, the two sides reached an agreement on exports of pomegranates and melons.
Marketing research shows that Uzbek fresh and dried fruit and vegetable products are highly marketable in the Baltic countries, Europe and South-East Asia. Experts actively seek for new foreign partners. Negotiations on the increase of supplies are underway with companies from the UAE, Japan, South Korea, France, Germany and other countries.
(Source: «Uzbekistan Today» newspaper)

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