On July 18-19 this year, the Working Group headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov and including heads of ministries, departments, industry associations, and commercial banks visited Navoi region.

During the business trip, the Group had a targeted work with entrepreneurs and exporters, as well as reviewed new promising areas to attract investement. Visits to enterprises and facilities and direct dialogue with the initiators of investment projects and manufacturers enabled detailed review of pressing concerns of entrepreneurs and comprehensive measures to resolve them promptly.

There was a critical analysis of the program for the development of Navoi region for 2020-2021. The Group noted the need to develop new investment projects, which will significantly increase industrial production, create a large number of new jobs and increase the export potential of the region.

In particular, Zerafshan, Uchkuduk, and Nurata districts were marked by the low attraction of investment. Here, the heads of the relevant local authorities together with industry departments and associations received instructions to develop new investment projects characterized by high rates of economic efficiency.

There were some projects in horticulture, rabbit farming, beekeeping, sericulture, poultry farming, as well as the sewing and knitwear industry developed to promote domestic labor and create additional sources of permanent income for the local population. Here, the instructions provided the development of additional projects in Navoi and Zerafshan, as well as in Kanimekh, Tamdyn, Kyzyltepa, and Uchkuduk districts focused on handicrafts, animal husbandry, poultry farming, and textile production.

Deep review of the economic potential of the districts and cities of Navoi region identified priority sectors for the further attraction of investments: gardening, karakul breeding, light and chemical industries, the production of construction materials and tourism.

High-quality and timely implementation of these projects provided consideration of systemic factors that impede the development of the above areas. In particular, there were instructions to develop measures to expand and upgrade the infrastructure of Tamdyn, Kyzyltepa, Khatircha and Nurata districts. It is also planned to continue the analysis of available resources with a view to districts and cities to develop new investment projects.

Separately, the Group reviewed the progress in dry port initiative. The heads of the relevant departments received instructions to join their efforts to accelerate the project considering a number of factors ensuring conditions required for the successful operation of this complex. Thus, they noted the need to create a system providing inexpensive and high-quality customs and logistics services, as well as a mechanism providing the customers and logistics companies with fuel and lubricants at competitive prices, which will attract large foreign operators such as DHL, FedEx, Cargo Lux in future.

The visit resulted in targeted instruction to executive officers specifying certain terms and expected results. The General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Uzbekistan will control the execution thereof.