ON 15-16 JULY, THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE “CENTRAL AND SOUTH ASIA: REGIONAL CONNECTIVITY. CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES” WILL TAKE PLACE IN TASHKENT

The International Conference “Central and South Asia: Regional Connectivity. Challenges and Opportunities” will take place in Tashkent on 15-16 July at the initiative of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

The forum is aimed at strengthening historically close and friendly ties, trust and good-neighborliness between Central and South Asia in the interests of all peoples and countries of both regions.

SILK ROAD INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF TOURISM IN SAMARKAND

The tourism industry in Uzbekistan is a strategically important branch of the economy. For the development of the industry in our country, large-scale and long-term work is being carried out by the state. The abolition of visas, the development of safe tourism, the development of certain types of tourism-from gastronomic and cultural-historical, to extreme and environmental types of tourism. The tourism industry in Uzbekistan has been undergoing major changes over the past few years. 

The presence of a large number of unique natural objects (lakes, mountain peaks, river floodplain forests) and a rich cultural and historical heritage (more than 7,000 monuments of architecture and art, about 700 UNESCO sites) creates a large-scale potential for the development of the industry.

THE PROGRESS AND CHALLENGES FOR CREATING GENUINE COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT IN UZBEKISTAN

New Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan is still living transition period to shift from centrally planned economy legacy to a full-fledged market economy.

Since late 2016, new leadership of the country has pursued an unflinching willingness to remove old paradigms in order to create New Uzbekistan.

In the economic sector, these reforms primarily comprise the flexibility of the exchange rate, a comprehensive tax reform and the liberalization of foreign trade. Uzbekistan’s economy is transforming from a closed, state-centred economic model to an open market economy.

These efforts have been bringingimpressive progress, which was acknowledged by international community. Before COVID-19 pandemic, Uzbek economy has advanced significantly.

This can be seen by:

the strong growth of foreign trade, which increased from USD 24B in 2016 to almost USD 42B in 2019;

bettering in the Doing Business Index, where Uzbekistan jumped from rank 87 in 2016 to rank 69 in 2020;

stronger foreign direct investment policy (FDI). According to the World Bank, FDI increased from 2% of GDP in 2016 to almost 4% of GDP in 2019.

"Enhancing the role of the Ombudsman in ensuring human rights, freedoms and legitimate interests in the context of ongoing reforms"

In Uzbekistan, systematic work is being carried out to fulfill international obligations to strengthen the legislative and institutional framework for the protection of human rights, to implement international human rights standards in national legislation and to intensify cooperation with international organizations on the protection of human rights.

President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev initiated large-scale reforms aimed at liberalizing the country's social and political life and ensuring the rule of law. Among the priorities they covered the issues of unconditional observance of human rights and freedoms in the administration of justice, as well as strengthening the role of state and public institutions in this process.

In accordance with article 19 of the Constitution of the Republic of Uzbekistan, a citizen of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the state are bound by mutual rights and mutual responsibility. The rights and freedoms of citizens, enshrined in the Constitution and laws, are constant, and no one has the right to deprive or restrict them without a court.

CIVIL SOCIETY REFORMS IN UZBEKISTAN

Upon Shavkat Mirziyoyev's election as President of Uzbekistan in 2016, the role of a robust civil society became the cornerstone of development for a new period in the country's history. Radical reforms have embraced all aspects of our society's political and social life—with NGOs and civil society institutions the locus for reimagining the state's role in our lives.

With this purpose in mind, President Mirziyoyev presented a flagship program known as the Strategy of Actions where he outlines the five priority areas for the country's midterm development: enhancing the role played by civil society institutions in public life, mainly through the media, improving the activities and capacity of non-governmental organizations, developing and introducing effective mechanisms for public engagement in all levels of governance, strengthening the institutional framework, primarily through legal structures, to ensure the effective operation of civil society institutions, support of those institutions, and foster their initiative in exercising public engagement over the activities of state bodies.