On January 10 this year, a Working Group headed by Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Uzbekistan S. Umurzakov and involving representatives of relevant ministries, departments and local authorities visited the project implemented in Zangiata district of Tashkent region to create an innovative scientific and production pharmaceutical cluster 'Tashkent Pharma Park'.

The project is implemented to stimulate the integrated development of the pharmaceutical industry in the Republic, including through the expansion of the range of manufactured medicines, research, and development, as well as training of personnel in pharmacology, who is qualified according to international educational standards.

The project financing comes from the concessional funds of the EDCF Fund of the Eximbank of Korea, UFRD, the Fund for Support and Development of the Pharmaceutical Industry, and foreign direct investment.

The modular design of the cluster with a total area of 50 hectares provides for the creation of industrial, academic, research, clinical and preclinical sectors.

The cluster will locate the facilities of leading pharmaceutical companies producing innovative medicines, medical devices, and equipment, a multifaceted research university and its components, research centers, a state center for pharmaceutical product expertise, a data center, and other necessary infrastructure.

During the visit, the participants reviewed the progress of construction of each facility, the progress in the connection to utilities and other practical aspects of the project.

The directorate of the cluster and members of the Working Group considered the existing problems and discussed the algorithms for their solution. There was a meaningful dialogue with investors from Turkey, India, the Czech Republic, and other countries, which touched upon the production projects with direct foreign investment in the cluster and provided the development of mutually acceptable solutions.

The meeting resulted in instructions to the executive officers to take prompt measures to accelerate the development of design documentation, construction work and connection to utility networks.

The participants emphasized the need to develop a step-by-step work schedule in all areas and determine a mechanism for effective monitoring of each stage of creating a cluster, identification of emerging issues, and their prompt solution through close interdepartmental interaction.

There were instructions to intensify negotiations with international and government organizations, as well as foreign investors in order to raise additional investments for the new components of the cluster.