From July 10 to 12 this year, the Working Group headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov and involving heads of ministries, departments, industry associations, and commercial banks traveled to Andijan, Namangan and Fergana region and had targeted work with entrepreneurs and exporters focused on comprehensive support and resolution of problems.

Visits to the enterprises and facilities provided the monitoring of progress in executing instructions given during the visit of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan to Andijan, Fergana and Namangan regions in May-June this year, as well as review of taken measures and determination of pressing concerns followed by development of relevant solutions. Moreover, there was a determination of executive officers and deadlines to resolve the problem identified involving relevant institutions and organizations locally.

There was an inventory of empty buildings and structures to develop the most promising options for their operation with a view to creation of high-tech enterprises for the production of export-oriented products with high added value. Members of the Group noted the priority of cluster-type enterprises with stable internal cooperative ties being the basis for a significant reduction of the cost of production and providing the strengthening of competitiveness in the domestic and foreign markets.

They reviewed the work with business entities under the Entrepreneur – Reformer System implemented in Fergana region as initiated by the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. This initiative provides distribution of 295 major, 1,845 medium-sized, and 34,573 small enterprises between the members of the Republican and Regional Working Groups, as well as heads of 4 sectors in cities and regions, respectively. It was clear, that the review touched upon operation of more than 5 thousand enterprises, 500 pressing concerns were identified and more than 350 of them were locally resolved involving relevant departments and commercial banks.

Considering the enterprises in Andijan, Namangan and Fergana regions, there was an incisive analysis of measures taken by commercial banks to allocate credit funds and repay previously paid VAT to the entrepreneurs by tax and financial authorities, as well as an assessment of the effectiveness of these measures with a view to export stimulation.

There was a thorough inventory of investment projects scheduled for implementation in three regions of the Fergana Valley, assessment of economic efficiency, as well as development of new promising project proposals in order to ensure maximum economic effect. Executive officers received instructions to accelerate the planned projects close interdepartmental cooperation and the heads of commercial banks should ensure timely allocation of credit resources.

During the visits, members of the Group reviewed the operation of the Factory Projects established in Andijan, Namangan and Fergana regions aimed at identification of new points of economic growth and analysis of resource and industrial potential of cities and districts, as well as development of project proposals for the subsequent attraction of local and foreign investors.

Every business trip was marked by negotiations involving the heads of ministries, departments, industry associations, diplomatic missions abroad, and local authorities via video-conferencing, where the participants discussed the results of work, worked out open questions and identified priority tasks for further support of entrepreneurs and exporters.

They emphasized the main priority as the coordinated operation of heads of ministries, departments, industry associations, commercial banks, embassies, and consulates general in foreign countries and local authorities to ensure timely implementation of the launched projects to create new industries, expand permanent jobs and build up export potential. Totally in 2020-2021, Andijan, Namangan and Fergana rions plan to implement 4,015 investment projects worth UZS 32.9 trillion, including creation of 186,367 new jobs.

This business trip resulted in certain instructions on targeted support of entrepreneurs, manufacturers and exporters, as well as assignment of executive officers and deadlines. The Prosecutor General's Office will systematically control the execution of instructions.