JAN. 29 (The Conway Bulletin) — The European Union has pledged 5m euros to help Uzbekistan join the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Uzbek media reported. The pledge is more evidence of the EU’s support for reforms in Uzbekistan that have opened up the country. After 25 years of isolation under Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan is trying to open itself up to international trade.
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>This story was first published in issue 398 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 31 2019
Copyright The Conway Bulletin 2019
JAN. 23 (The Conway Bulletin) — For the first time, Uzbekistan said it will undertake a full inventory of its trees outside its forested areas. The inventory, which will last six months, will count, age and measure all the trees growing in public spaces. This inventory will be repeated every five years. Importantly, it reflects a greater emphasis on civil society in Uzbekistan since Shavkat Mirziyoyev took over as president in 2016.
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>This story was first published in issue 398 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 31 2019
Copyright The Conway Bulletin 2019
TASHKENTJAN. 8 (The Conway Bulletin) — The authorities in Uzbekistan have freed from prison businessman Mirodil Jalolov, former CEO of Zeromax — once the country’s biggest company.
His wife told RFE/RL that a court released Mr Mirodli after a short hearing linked to corruption charges. In 2010, when a closed-court jailed him, the charges against Mr Mirodli were not released.
Zeromax had once been an all-powerful conglomerate with stakes in a range of assets across Uzbekistan from mining, to football, to logistics. Analysts had said Zeromax was ultimately owned by Gulnara Karimova, the eldest daughter of Islam Karimov, the former Uzbek president.
She has been in jail since 2014 when she was arrested on various corruption charges. Her father died in 2016.
Mr Mirodli was arrested in 2010 shortly after the Uzbek government took control of Zeromax. It said it had seized Zeromax’s assets because it owed its creditors $500m. Some analysts saw the move as a revolt by rival regime members and the first public sign of decline for the once all-powerful Karimov family.
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>>This story was first published in issue 396 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 11 2019
JAN. 17 (The Conway Bulletin) — French vehicle conversion company Gruau is considering setting up a plant in Uzbekistan, media reported. It reported that Gruau’s vice-president for international development, Sylvain Sene, had been in the country scoping out the prospect. Gruau is considered a world leader in converting vehicles for specialist uses such as for disabled people and the security forces.
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019
JAN. 11 (The Conway Bulletin) — Russian energy company Tatneft said it had registered a subsidiary in Uzbekistan, although it did not elaborate on its business aims. Tatneft is one of the biggest energy companies in Russia and also operates 691 petrol stations across Russia, Belarus and Ukraine
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019
JAN. 18 (The Conway Bulletin) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev ordered a joint Uzbek-Emirati investment company to be set up. The fund, according to reports, will have a working capital of $1b and will be 75% owned by the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, and 25% owned by the Uzbek Fund for Reconstruction and Development.
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019
TASHKENT/JAN. 14 (The Conway Bulletin) — – The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) loaned $240m to Uzbekenergo to modernise its Talimarjan gas power plant in the south of the country.
The loan will be spent on installing 90MW combined cycle gas turbines. It is the largest single investment by the EBRD in Uzbekistan. The EBRD only re-entered Uzbekistan last year, after a break of 10 years, when it became clear that President Shavkat Mirziyoyev was intent on opening up the country after years of isolation under the reclusive Islam Karimov.
“The investment will address a major issue for the region, namely the provision of uninterrupted and sustainable power supply, which will support economic growth and improve the wellbeing of the population,” the EBRD said in a statement.
The other joint funders on the project are the Asian Development Bank and the Uzbek Fund for Reconstruction and Development. The EBRD has invested a total of 1.3b euros in 70 projects in Uzbekistan.
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019
JAN. 20 (The Conway Bulletin) — Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev travelled to Berlin to meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, the culmination of an Uzbek-German business forum. At the forum, German firms pledged to invest 4b euros into various projects in Uzbekistan. The projects range from finance to engineering. Germany has been one of the main drivers of European Union investment in Uzbekistan since Mr Mirziyoyev took over the presidency in 2016.
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>>This story was first published in issue 397 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 20 2019
DEC. 22 (The Conway Bulletin) — UAE’s government-owned budget airline FlyDubai will start flying to Tashkent, another sign that the Uzbek tourist industry is booming. Uzbek officials announced the deal after meeting UAE officials. FlyDubai, which targets tourists, will take over the Dubai-Tashkent route from Emirates Airline, which is more business-focused.
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>>This story was first published in issue 396 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 11 2019
JAN. 1 (The Conway Bulletin) — Former Uzbek foreign minister Vladimir Norov replaced Tajikistan’s Rashid Alimov as general-secretary of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) for a three year term. The SCO is focused on Central Asia and is headed by Russia and China. It has become one of the most influential inter-governmental groups focused on the region.
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>>This story was first published in issue 396 of The Conway Bulletin on Jan. 11 2019