First Deputy Governor of the Novgorod Region Evgeny Bogdanov is on a visit to the Choresm Region of Uzbekistan from the 14th to the 16th of March. The purpose of the visit is to establish cooperation in the area of economy, education and culture. The Novgorod Region is viewing the region of Choresm as a potential sister region in the Republic.
On the first day of his trip Evgeny Bogdanov visited the building-trade secondary school in the town of Urgench. The school provides free-of-charge education to 250 students and offers 3.5-month long courses to around 1,000 people each year. For the most part the school trains carpenters, bricklayers, electricians, plumbers, finishers and crane operators. The students learn materials engineering, occupational health and safety, Russian language and Russian culture. At graduation they get a certificate that allows them to work in Russia.
Also, Deputy Governor got himself familiar with the textile cluster. The local manufacturers make cotton clothing both under their own brands and upon orders from Russian and foreign partners. One of Uzbekistan’s largest carpet making enterprises is currently establishing contacts with the neighbours, particularly, with Turkmenistan, and is willing to consider the possibility of opening a production facility in Russia.
The Novgorod and Choresm regions also have prospects for cooperation in the area of developing similar territories with special legal status. A free economic zone which is similar to the Novgorod Special Economic Zone is located within 100 km from Urgench. It residents which, as a rule, represent local business, manufacture textiles, wallpaper, medical latex gloves, electric motors for air conditioners and car radiators. The products are exported to different countries including Russia.
“It is interesting to compare a FEZ in Uzbekistan with our SEZ in terms of conditions for residents, the number and specific features of their enterprises, management principles. Perhaps certain residents could get involved in production in our country as well, and for some of our businessmen production in Uzbekistan might open new sales markets,” Evgeny Bogdanov pointed out.
Also, within the framework of his visit our Deputy Governor met with Acting Hokim of the Choresm Region Zhurabek Rakhimov and visited an IT Park. The Park is created in place of an old college and works in two areas: training of school students and everyone interested plus operations of resident (currently the total of six) IT companies. The residents are exempt from taxes and rent. They provide a broad scope of services, mainly export-oriented.
It should be noted that the Novgorod Region and the Republic of Uzbekistan have long-standing economic relations. Export steadily prevails over import. In 2022 the volume of Novgorodian products supplied to Uzbekistan increased by 18%. The top export goods include electric machines, equipment, timber, essential oils and cosmetic articles.
The Novgorod Export Support Centre renders assistance to the Region’s businessmen in entering the market of Uzbekistan. In 2019 its specialists organised a business mission to the Republic for the Region’s entrepreneurs, as well as a visit of Uzbekistan’s business community representatives to Veliky Novgorod. In 2022 businessmen from Novgorod participated in two exhibitions in Uzbekistan and in one exhibition this year with the assistance of the Centre. The plans include participation in three more exhibition events before the end of the year.
16 марта 2023 17:30:00
