Внедрение в бизнес Узбекистана принципов корпоративного управления в фокусе внимания СМИ Европы

БРЮССЕЛЬ, 27 ноября. /ИА «Дунё»/. В британском онлайн-издании «Emerging Europe» опубликована статья «Необходимо признать стремление Узбекистана принять стандарты ESG», сообщает корреспондент ИА «Дунё».

В статье независимый член наблюдательного совета компании Artel Electronics Ким Уи Так рассказал о ESG-принципах, их внедрении в бизнес Узбекистана и о том, почему это важно для узбекских компаний.

Как отметил Ким Уи Так, «одной из самых сложных областей реформы экологического, социального и управленческого менеджмента (ESG) является корпоративное управление – «G» в ESG. Корпоративное управление - это структура правил, практики и процессов, используемых для руководства и управления компанией. Таким образом, оно лежит в основе функционирования компании».

«Artel Electronics - ведущий производитель бытовой техники в Центральной Азии и одна из крупнейших компаний Узбекистана, - говорит Ким Уи Так. - Только после консолидации в 2020 году компания смогла приступить к реформированию корпоративного управления. Я вошел в состав независимого наблюдательного совета в рамках этой трансформации».

Подчеркивается, что компания привлекла международных юридических, финансовых и управленческих консультантов для реформирования своих бизнес-структур. Она внедрила антикоррупционные кодексы, функции информирования о нарушениях и комитеты по аудиту, как органично, так и благодаря рекомендациям.

«Наблюдательный совет регулярно проводит заседания, чтобы анализировать, контролировать и направлять деятельность компании. Я принял участие в нескольких тренингах, на которых сотрудники компании сверху донизу обучались ведению бизнеса и ответственному управлению. Эта практика постепенно внедряется в обычный бизнес», заключает Ким Уи Так.

Транспортно-логистический потенциал железнодорожного коридора Узбекистана в фокусе внимания СМИ Нидерландов

БРЮССЕЛЬ, 26 ноября. /ИА “Дунё”/. В нидерландском журнале «Diplomat Magazine» опубликована статья «Транспортно-логистический потенциал железнодорожного коридора Узбекистана», передает корреспондент ИА «Дунё».

Как сообщает издание, трансафганский железнодорожный коридор является мегаинвестиционным проектом стоимостью около 5,96 миллиарда долларов США. «На недавней встрече с Европейским советом правительство Узбекистана объявило об открытии Трансафганского коридора для прямых иностранных инвесторов, ‑ пишет «Diplomat Magazine». ‑ Презентация раскрыла возможности и перспективы нескольких коридоров, связывающих Узбекистан с мировыми рынками. Она также продемонстрировала транспортный потенциал Узбекистана, его место и возможность стать важным связующим звеном между Европой и Азией».

В статье подчеркивается, что развитие международных торговых отношений и ускорение роста объемов грузоперевозок привели к появлению транспортных коридоров как системообразующих элементов международных логистических систем. «Формирование железнодорожного сообщения в Афганистане началось еще в 2010 году. Первой является «Хайратан - Мазари-Шариф», протяженностью 75 км, ‑ отмечает нидерландское СМИ. ‑ За прошедший период проведена работа по формированию железнодорожного коридора «Термез - Мазари-Шариф - Кабул – Пешавар». В 2018 году для координации работ были созданы многосторонняя Рабочая группа и Проектный офис».

В 2022 году в Ташкенте проведен форум на тему «Афганистан: Безопасность и экономическое развитие», он был посвящен укреплению мира, стабильности и экономическому восстановлению, говорится в статье.

«Формирование нового транспортного коридора как продолжение железнодорожного участка в Афганистане до пакистанской границы является актуальной задачей для евразийских стран, ‑ констатирует «Diplomat Magazine». ‑ В июле и августе 2022 года была проведена полевая экспедиция по всему маршруту. Экспедиция проводилась при поддержке и финансировании Республики Узбекистан и Исламской Республики Пакистан, ведутся работы по созданию ортофотопланов и цифровой модели рельефа при финансировании Узбекистана».

Foreign investors warm to Uzbekistan’s energy sector reforms

Multinational energy firms praised Uzbekistan’s approach to energy sector development as the country looks to accelerate its transition to greener sources of energy and enhance private sector participation.

Speaking at the Uzbekistan Economic Forum, representatives from EDF, the giant French utility company, and ACWA Power, the developer, investor and operator of power generation and desalination plants, commended the regulatory stability, long term partnership approach and ambitious renewable energy targets that the Uzbek government has set out.

The energy sector is a significant part of the economy representing 17% of GDP in 2021. Uzbekistan has committed to generating 25% of its power from renewable energy sources by 2026 and holds the ambitious target of reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Clive Turton, Chief Investment Officer at ACWA Power, welcomed the Uzbek government’s long term approach to public-private partnerships (PPPs) and the sector’s regulatory stability. These strong foundations have provided the platform for ACWA Power to agree a 5-year $10bn cooperation agreement with the government to develop wind, water, solar and green hydrogen projects. 

Pierre-Paul Antheunissens, Country Director for Uzbekistan, EDF, echoed these sentiments and outlined how the country’s innovative approach to PPPs has enabled Uzbekistan to become a partner of choice in the region as EDF looks to play a role in efforts to drive clean energy generation, transmission and distribution.

Azim Ahmedhodjaev, Uzbekistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Energy, said: “The government has a well-established commitment to the transformation of the energy sector, striving for a greener economy through the transition to renewable energy sources. Uzbekistan aims to increase the capacity of renewable energy sources to 8 GW by 2026 and 12 GW by 2030.”

“The government embarked on its PPP programme with the goal of attracting private-sector finance, expertise, skills and efficiency to public sector projects. With the support of ADB, IFC and EBRD, PPP investments have so far focused on the energy generation sector. The government has awarded 19 projects with the aim of generating 8.9 GW of electricity, with 2.9 GW of the total coming from renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.”

Looking for a holiday away from the crowds? Discover Uzbekistan, once the centre of the world

zbekistan, a mysterious landlocked country in Central Asia, was once at the heart of the route connecting the East and the West.   -   Copyright  Canva   -  

By Giulia Carbonaro  •  Updated: 14/11/2022

Until a few years ago, Uzbekistan remained a fabled land closed off to curious foreigners and hopeful explorers.

But now this country, once considered the centre of the world due to its place at the heart of the Silk Road, is changing its image, welcoming visitors and inviting them to discover the beauty of Uzbekistan.

Once at the crossroads of the Western and Eastern civilisations, the landlocked country was the route through which the likes of Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan and Marco Polo travelled. Its ancient cities offer a jaw-dropping architectural experience, with its breathtaking mosques, madrassas, towers and mausoleums influenced by a unique blend of Turkish, Soviet and Uzbek styles.

"Our people, our food, our architecture is the result of this complex and diverse history," says Dilfuza Samandarova, Director of the National PR Centre at Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Heritage.

"That's why we have everything tourists might be looking for - from halal food to ancient Buddhist sites."

What are the best cities to visit in Uzbekistan?

The country used to be at the very heart of the Silk Road, the ancient trade route linking China to the West. The route saw traders carrying goods and ideas between Xi'an and the Mediterranean, travelling across the Great Wall, the Taklamakan Desert and the Pamir Mountains. This is the road Marco Polo took to reach China.

At the centre of this trade were the magnificent Uzbek cities of Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva and Tashkent, now the country's capital. In these cities, the memory of the ancient Silk Road is perfectly preserved, conjuring the atmosphere that merchants and traders could have experienced thousands of years ago. There's so much to see in this city, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001, but you should not miss the Registan and Bibi Khanum mosques and the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum, the magnificent resting place of Turco-Mongol conqueror Timur.

Samarkand, in particular, is a must-see for anyone fascinated with the ancient history of the Silk Road. The city, one of the largest and most ancient in Central Asia, has amazed visitors for centuries, including Alexander the Great, who allegedly said upon seeing it that it was "more beautiful than I ever imagined."

Samarkand is one of the most ancient city in Uzbekistan, once at the heart of the Silk Road.Canva

Bukhara, less than a two-hour train ride from Samarkand, was one of the most important sites of the Golden Age of Islam, and it retains its glorious mosques, domed marketplace and madrassas (historic Islamic schools). Here you can visit the tomb of legendary ruler Ismail Somoni, who renounced Zoroastrianism for Islam, and walk in the steps of Marco Polo. The city's bazaar is one of the most impressive you'll find in the whole country.

Khiva and its ancient inner city Itchan Kala, at the western border with Turkmenistan, is considered an open-air Silk Road museum, with its ancient streets, mosques, palace and mausoleum telling the marvellous story of this historic city.

Itchan Kala has been protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1990.Canva

Once a major trading post on the Silk Road, the capital Tashkent is the best place in Uzbekistan to see the influence of the Soviet Union on the country. This is also the place where the modern and ancient worlds collide in Uzbekistan, with the city holding an international film festival, a contemporary art gallery and various art, music and architecture events throughout the year.

Where can I explore nature in Uzbekistan?

Uzbekistan is known for its breathtaking landscapes, including the red dunes of its desert and the rugged peaks of its mountains, but there’s one natural sight which offers a unique warning to humankind.

The Aral Sea, a lake which touches all five Central Asian republics - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan -, is completely dry on the Uzbek side, due to the unsustainable cotton cultivation the Soviet Union imposed on the area.

In the face of such devastation, the dead landscape of the former lake basin, inhabited by the relics of lost ships and boats, offers a sobering lesson about the impact of human activity on the planet.

The Aral Sea in Uzbekistan was dried up as its waters were used for irrigation.Canva

When is the best time to visit Uzbekistan?

"Maybe six or five years ago we would have suggested a specific season to visit the country, but now there is no reason because we have something for every season," says Samandarova.

The country has recently reinvented itself as a winter holiday destination, with new ski centres tucked among its snowy mountains.

Samandarova recommends visiting Uzbekistan in autumn, the best time to walk through the historic sites and take in the scenery, lulled by the good, but fresh, weather. The best season to try Uzbek food is in the spring and in summer, when the crops have been gathered and the country's restaurants are full of the best fresh vegetables and fruits.

What should I eat in Uzbekistan?

"We have a lot of food here," says Samandarova, laughing. "There's Plov, Lagman, Manti, Shurpa, Shashlik. All of them are prepared with seasonal products, grown naturally."

Plov is probably the most famous traditional food here, considered the national dish of the country. It's a hearty rice pilaf cooked with lamb or beef, onions, apricots, garlic, raisins and carrots, usually served on a huge plate and accompanied by tea. Just seeing plov being prepared is an experience, as the rice is cooked in giant iron cauldrons called "kazans" over an open fire.

Shashlik is another dish designed to make meat eaters happy, as it's essentially shish kebab - skewered meat cooked on a grill. For vegetarians, there are options such as skewered potatoes, tomatoes and mushrooms, which are just as delicious.

Another dish to sample is Manti, which are large steamed dumplings filled with ground lamb or beef and served with a yoghurt dip, and usually eaten using your hands.

There are many more dishes to try in Uzbekistan though - including toasted apricot seeds, Samsa and Chuchvara - so if you're planning a trip here, just follow your nose and dig in.

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How should I greet the locals in Uzbekistan?

You don't have to go out of your way to blend in with the local life and meet Uzbek people: the locals will come to you.

"Our people really like tourists," Samandarova says. "I've travelled a lot, and I’ve never seen the same in other countries. They will say hello, how are you, and they will start talking with you, having a conversation."

The languages spoken in Uzbekistan are predominantly Uzbek and Russian, while a minority speak Tajik, though after the fall of the Soviet Union and the country’s independence in 1991 more and more people are now speaking English too.

If you talk to the local people, you might get more than just a chat, Samarandova says - you might even end up trying homemade food and becoming an honoured guest in an Uzbek home.

"For example, if you get lost in our country and you ask someone for help - if you are without money, without a car, without a map, or you don't know where you are - Uzbek people will help you.

"First of all, they will feed you. They will invite you to their house and prepare a delicious meal, and after that, they will offer you to stay in their house, because in every house there’s a room for guests. And after that, they will help you to go wherever you want."

SILK ROADARCHITECTURETOURISMUZBEKISTANTRAVEL TIPSHISTORY

DESTINATIONS

DESTINATIONS

Зарафшонда ойна ишлаб чиқариш маҳаллийлаштирилди

Президентнинг Навоий вилоятига ташрифи чоғида “Зарафшон ойна” корхонасини ишга туширишга бағишланган маросим бўлди.

Маълумки, ойна саноат, қурилиш ва маиший ҳаётда энг кўп ишлатиладиган маҳсулотлардан. Хусусан, юртимизда қурилиш ойнасига бўлган талаб йилига 38 миллион квадрат метр. Навоий вилояти эса пардозбоп тош, кварц қуми, базальт ва каолин захираларига бой.

Шу боис давлатимиз раҳбари 2018 йилда вилоятга ташрифи чоғида ойна ишлаб чиқаришни йўлга қўйиш бўйича кўрсатма берган эди. Бугунга келиб, 250 миллион долларлик ушбу лойиҳа ҳаётга кўчди.

Президент Шавкат Мирзиёев рамзий тугмани босиб, “Зарафшон ойна” корхонасини ишга туширди.

- Ҳозиргача бундай корхоналар Фарғона ва Жиззахда бор эди. Мана, уларнинг сафига янги барпо этилган, кенг турдаги маҳсулотлар ишлаб чиқаришга ихтисослашган “Зарафшон ойна” корхонаси ҳам қўшилмоқда. У келгусида янада ривожланиб, халқимизга хизмат қилишига ишонамиз, - деди Шавкат Мирзиёев.

Корхонанинг йиллик ишлаб чиқариш қуввати 12 миллион квадрат метр. Маҳсулотлар импорт ўрнини босиш билан бирга экспортга ҳам мўлжалланган. Бу ерда 700 киши иш билан таъминланган.

Тадбирда Ғозғон шаҳридаги “Maрмаробод” корхонаси билан ҳам видеоалоқа орқали боғланилди. У мармар ва гранит тошларни қазиб олиб, қайта ишлашга ихтисослашган. Хитой ва Эрон давлатларидан ускуналар олиб келиниб, муҳандис ва мутахассислар жалб қилинган. 300 киши иш билан таъминланган.

Давлатимиз раҳбари Навоий шаҳридаги “Гидро Станко Сервис” масъулияти чекланган жамияти фаолияти билан танишди.

Навоий вилояти саноатлашган ҳудуд. Бу ерда тоғ-кон, металлургия, кимё, энергетика корхоналари кўп. Уларга, умуман, юртимиз саноати ва қишлоқ хўжалигига машинасозлик маҳсулотлари доим зарур.

“Гидро Станко Сервис”да айнан шулар ишлаб чиқарилади. Бу ерда кооперация орқали 100 дан ортиқ қурилма ва мингдан ортиқ турдаги эҳтиёт қисмлар маҳаллийлаштирилган. Натижада 2021 йилда 12 миллион доллардан зиёд валюта маблағларини тежашга эришилган. Жорий йил якуни билан ишлаб чиқариш миқдори 23 миллион доллар бўлиши кутилмоқда.

Корхонага ускуналар Германия, Туркия, Италия ва Хитойдан келтириб ўрнатилган. 370 киши иш билан таъминланган.

Бугунги кунда корхонада қуюв цехи ташкил этиш ва маҳсулотлар турини кўпайтириш устида иш олиб борилмоқда.

Президентимиз мутасаддиларга маҳаллийлаштириш даражасини ошириш бўйича топшириқлар берди.

Бугунги кунда Навоий вилоятида маҳаллийлаштириш дастури доирасида қиймати 1 триллион сўмга яқин 113 та лойиҳалар амалга оширилмоқда. Буларнинг натижасида жорий йилнинг ўзида 100 миллион долларлик импорт қисқартирилишига эришилади.

Навоий шаҳрида халқ депутатлари вилоят кенгашининг навбатдан ташқари сессияси бўлиб ўтди.

Навоий шаҳрида халқ депутатлари вилоят кенгашининг навбатдан ташқари сессияси бўлиб ўтди.

Унда Ўзбекистон Республикаси Президенти Шавкат Мирзиёев иштирок этди.

Давлатимиз раҳбари сўзининг аввалида вилоят аҳлига чуқур ҳурматини билдириб, сессияни очиқ мулоқот тарзида ўтказишни таклиф этди.

– Бугунги учрашувимиздан энг катта мақсад-муддаомиз – очиқ мулоқот. Навоий вилоятидаги 330 та маҳалла, 1 миллион 50 минг аҳолининг дардини баралла айтиб, чорасини топишимиз керак. Ҳурматли депутатлар, нуронийлар, ўғил-қизларим, юракдаги гапларингизни, жойлардаги муаммони очиқ айтсангиз, менга дўст бўласизлар. Ҳамма масалаларга халқимиз билан бамаслаҳат ечим топсак, натижа бўлади. Бу учрашувдан мен ҳам рози бўлайин, халқимиз ҳам рози бўлсин, – деди Шавкат Мирзиёев.

Мулоқотда Навоий вилояти ривожининг бугунги ҳолати таҳлил қилинди. Охирги уч йилда ҳудудда 2 миллиард долларлик йирик саноат лойиҳалари ишга тушган. Бунинг натижасида 10 мингдан ортиқ янги иш ўрни яратилиб, йилига қўшимча 1 триллион сўм солиқ тушуми ва 100 миллион доллар экспорт таъминланган.

Вилоятда иқтисодиётни янада ривожлантириш учун катта захира ва имкониятлар борлиги кўрсатиб ўтилди. Мисол учун, импорт бўлаётган маҳсулотларни кооперация асосида маҳаллий тадбиркорлар ишлаб чиқарса бўлади. Қишлоқ хўжалигида чорвачилик тармоғи тўла ишга солинмаяпти. Мева-сабзавот сақлаш қувватлари кам. Ижтимоий соҳада ҳам аҳолини қийнаётган масалалар бор.

Сессияда ташкилий масала кўрилди. Президент Навоий вилояти ҳокими лавозимига Нормат Турсунов номзодини тавсия этди.

Н.Турсунов 1972 йилда Тошкент вилоятида туғилган. Кўп йиллар давлат солиқ тизимида ишлаган. У 2021 йил ноябрь ойидан буён Навоий вилояти ҳокими вазифасини бажариб келмоқда.

 Давлатимиз раҳбари номзодни лавозимга тасдиқлашдан аввал очиқ мулоқот қилиб, унинг режаларини эшитишни таклиф этди. Нормат Турсунов вилоятда тадбиркорлик, саноат, қишлоқ хўжалигини ривожлантириш, аҳолига муносиб турмуш шароити яратиш бўйича режаларини тақдимот қилди.

Президентимиз бу таклифларни маъқуллаб, уларни амалга ошириш чораларини белгилаб берди.

Тадбиркорликни ривожлантириш учун келгуси йилда 26 та маҳаллий саноат маркази ва кичик саноат зоналари ташкил этиш, оилавий тадбиркорлик дастурлари учун 600 миллиард сўм йўналтириш вазифаси қўйилди. Умуман, Навоий вилоятини “камбағаллик ва ишсизликдан ҳоли ҳудуд”га айлантириш мумкинлиги таъкидланди.

Саноат соҳасида келгуси йилда 186 та лойиҳани амалга ошириб, 15 мингта иш ўрни яратиш чоралари белгиланди. Бу импортни қисқартириб, экспортни 250 миллион долларга етказишда муҳим омил бўлади.

Хатирчи, Кармана, Навбаҳор, Қизилтепа ва Нурота туманларидаги 72 та маҳалла картошка, сабзавот, узум ва анор етиштиришга ихтисослашган.

Давлатимиз раҳбари бу имкониятларни кенгайтириш учун мазкур маҳаллалар атрофидаги 5 минг гектарда сув таъминотини яхшилаш зарурлигини таъкидлади. Яйлов ўсимликлари уруғчилиги хўжалиги, каврак плантациялари, агрологистика марказларини ташкил этиш бўйича ҳам топшириқлар берилди.

Ижтимоий соҳани ривожлантириш, мактаб ва боғчалар барпо этиш, аҳолини уй-жой ва ичимлик суви билан таъминлаш масалаларига ҳам алоҳида эътибор қаратилди. Умуман, 2023 йилда вилоятда ижтимоий муаммоларни ҳал этишга қўшимча 655 миллиард сўм, оилавий тадбиркорликни ривожлантиришга яна 750 миллиард сўм ресурс ажратилиши маълум қилинди.

Тақдимотдан сўнг вилоят кенгаши депутатлари номзоднинг режаларини муҳокама қилиб, ўз фикр-мулоҳазаларини билдирди. Навоий вилояти ҳокимини тайинлаш масаласи овозга қўйилди. Унинг натижаларига кўра, Нормат Турсунов Навоий вилоятининг ҳокими этиб тасдиқланди.

Давлатимиз раҳбари белгиланган режалар энди ҳаётга кўчиши, барча ташкилотлар ҳоким атрофида бирлашиб, халққа хизмат қилиши кераклигини таъкидлади.

Президент ёшлар билан самимий мулоқот қилди

Давлатимиз раҳбари навоийлик ёшлар билан мулоқот қилди.

- Мен қаерга бормайин, кўпроқ ёшлар билан учрашишга ҳаракат қиламан. Тараққиёт стратегиямизда, ҳудудий дастурларда катта мақсадлар қўйганмиз. Агар давлат ташкилотлари, барча даражадаги раҳбарлар ёшлар масалалари билан мукаммал шуғулланмас экан, бу марраларга эришиб бўлмайди, - деди Президент.

Навоийлик ёшлар иқтидорли, ҳамма соҳаларда фаол. Бу йил олий ўқув юртларига кириш бўйича республикада биринчи ўринни эгаллашди. Халқаро фан олимпиадалари, нуфузли мусобақалар ғолибларининг ҳам кўпчилиги Навоийдан.

Жорий йилда уюшмаган ёшлар ўртасида тадбиркорликни ривожлантириш учун 50 миллиард сўм маблағ берилиб, 13 минг 700 нафар йигит-қиз ўз йўлини топган. 1 минг 600 гектар экин майдони ажратилиб, 6 мингдан зиёд ёшлар бандлиги таъминланган. Шароити оғир талабаларга 6,5 миллиард сўм контракт пуллари тўлаб берилган.

- Фарзандларимизнинг ютуқлари, албатта, ҳаммамизни ғурурлантиради. Лекин бу билан чекланиб қолиш керак эмас. Ёшларимизнинг истагини, эҳтиёжини, эртанги кунини таъминлаш учун яна нималар қилсак бўлади? Билим ва касбларни эгаллаши, салоҳиятини юзага чиқариш учун қандай ёрдам бериш керак? Ана шу саволлар мени қийнайди, - деди Шавкат Мирзиёев.

Шу боис, Президент ёшларнинг фикрлари, таклифларини эшитди. Ёшларнинг меҳнат бозорида талаб юқори бўлган касбларни ўрганиши ва иш топишига ёрдам берувчи янги платформани ишга тушириш вазифаси қўйилди.

Саноат зоналарига ёшларни жалб этиш, яйловларга сув чиқариб, чорвачилик ташаббусларини Тадбиркорлик жамғармаси орқали қўллаб-қувватлаш бўйича кўрсатмалар берилди.

Навоий шаҳрида ихтисослашган спорт мактаби ва маҳаллаларда спорт тўгараклари ташкил этиб, ёшлар ўртасида спортни оммалаштириш муҳимлиги қайд этилди. Ёшлар жамғармасидан вилоятдаги 325 та мактабни китоб ва мусиқа асбоблари билан таъминлаш, маданий тадбирларни кўпайтириш масалаларига ҳам аҳамият қаратилди.

Учрашувда илгари сурилган ташаббусларни амалга ошириш бўйича Навоий вилояти тажрибаси яратилиши белгиланди. Бу тизимнинг асосий мақсади ёшларни маънавий-маърифий ривожлантириш, бандлигини таъминлаш ҳамда бўш вақтларини мазмунли ташкил этиш бўлади.

Snapshot of the Uzbek textile and apparel industry

 Snapshot of the Uzbek textile and apparel industry 1.1 A textile giant in the making? In recent years, the industry in Uzbekistan has witnessed large investments in state-of-the-art and integrated manufacturing facilities that are often attached to the cultivation of cotton under a structure known as "cotton and textile clusters”. Thanks to the privatization of cotton production and the establishment of over 120 clusters, the country was able to convert almost 100% of its 1 million tons of cotton production into yarns, fast establishing itself as a major player in the spinning industry. Further clusters are being planned and cotton production is expected to grow even further with the reclamation of additional land earmarked for cotton production. Today Uzbekistan has over 7,000 companies in the TAS employing more than 400,000 workers with exports of over USD 3 bn in 2021. The vast majority of those companies (over 6,000 enterprises) consists of ready-made garment manufacturers, the balance includes over 150 yarn manufacturers, 130 fabric makers, 250 knitting companies and 110 hosiery manufacturers. Although the industry has expanded into spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing and finishing as well as garment making and home textile manufacturing, the sector has largely remained focused on cotton and has yet to grow in the rest of the value chain. To become one of the leading sourcing destinations for European and potentially US buyers, the industry will need to expand into the manufacturing of products made of ManMade-Fibers and/or other non-cotton natural fibers as well as elaborate the scope of the weaving, knitting, and manufacturing of finished-products. Thus, this strategy will enable Uzbekistan to provide a higher value-added product and serve the everdeveloping needs in the textile industry. Uzbekistan might also want to attract investments into the Technical Textiles subsector and diversify from its current focus on cotton fibers and basic garment and home textile products

Cotton production

Cotton production Uzbekistan has been among the world's largest cotton producers and exporters since the Soviet Union era. Cotton still represents approx. 30% of total agriculture land in Uzbekistan with 1,03 m hectares of cotton cultivated crop land (source: Uztextilprom). In 2017, the government embarked on a mission to privatize cotton production, by 2020, the industry was entirely in the hands of the private sector represented by 100 clusters established in the period. Almost 2 m people are recruited every year for the annual cotton harvest in Uzbekistan. The country has succeeded in eradicating systemic forced labor and systemic child labor during the 2021 cotton production cycle, according to new ILO findings (Third-Party Monitoring Report of the Cotton Harvest in Uzbekistan). In 2021, Uzbekistan ranked sixth among the largest cotton producers in the world (China, India, USA, Brazil, Pakistan) producing several varieties of cotton. The choice of cotton variety in agriculture is one of the main factors affecting yields and product quality. Currently, varieties include „S-6524", „Bukhoro-6", „Namangan-77”, „Omad", „Bukhoro-102", „Bukhoro-8", „Andijon-35". At the same time, new promising varieties have been developed with improved fiber quality and yield, e.g. „S-6541", „Namangan-34" and „Al-Termizy". The average cotton yield in Uzbekistan increased to 647 kg/ha in 2020/21 (USA - 957 kg/ha; Egypt - 720 kg/ha; Turkey - 1,804 kg/ha; Brazil - 1,720 kg/ha; and China - 1,976 kg/ha, source USDA)) after a long stagnation in the late 1990s and 2000. The USDA report (USDA-GAIN, 2020) attributes the recent improvements in Uzbekistan's cotton productivity to improved resource use efficiency, adoption of modern technology, and improved agronomic practices in cotton clusters.

A textile giant in the making? A look at the Textile and Apparel Sector in Uzbekistan - 2022

Preface Export Guide Little has been heard of Uzbekistan's recent efforts in transforming towards an economically thriving and modern state at the heart of Central Asia. It had for long lied behind a curtain of bad reputation for censorship, environmental damage and human rights violations. For the last five years however, Uzbekistan has made immense efforts both on private and political scale to combat the challenges and the associated reputation. Since 2017 the government has embarked on a reform agenda that accomplished positive developments in all areas of society, politics and the economy, and prominently also in the cotton and textile sector. The country has a century long cotton growing tradition, as of today it is still the world's 7th largest cotton producer. The sector offers many opportunities for sustainable change: socially it can provide decent jobs for the immense labour force of Central Asia's most populated country, most of which will target women; environmentally, climate change adaptation and the promotion of sustainable production methods are alternatives to conventional cotton growing with large inputs of chemicals and water; economically, long-lasting business relations to markets with higher sustainability requirements provide the fundament to implement socially and environmentally sound practices. With the reforms, the sector liberalised from a state monopoly to private enterprises that are open for socially and environmentally sustainable approaches, naming the abolition of systemic forced labour by the ILO or the introduction or organic cotton production among many more examples. The Gesellschaft fur internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) assists the reform process by implementing the project "Sustainability and Value Added in the Cotton Economy in Uzbekistan” as part of a global project working on several agricultural supply chains. By working closely together with the private sector, the project caters the needs of the economy by conducting activities and capacity development whilst promoting social, environmental, and economic sustainability along the whole supply chain. Our project activities span from providing trainings in organic cotton production or social compliance in processing, to capacity development in export as well as cooperating with international textile companies to open new markets. By doing so since 2019, the project had the opportunity of gaining first-hand experience of the progress and the remaining challenges. In your hands you are holding the most recent update on the sector, nurtured from up-to-date data perceived from several interviews conducted with stakeholders from the Uzbek and international industry, the public sector and individual actors. With this report, we aim to provide you with an expertise-driven though neutral perspective from within the sector. The subsequent pages should: • Inform you about the status quo of the Uzbek cotton and textile sector • Outline the profound developments of the last years • Highlight remaining challenges as well as simultaneously address measures (taken or planned) to tackle these. If this report stimulates your interest in the Uzbek cotton and textile sector, do not hesitate to contact us. The project stands ready to inform, connect, venture together. And with this - O'zbekistonga xush kelibsiz or welcome to Uzbekistan!