Further development of national oil & gas sector, railway and air transport has been in the spotlight of political and socio-economical life of the country last week.
On May 24 Information Agency “Jahon” reported that Uzbekistan became full-fledged member of the Inter-Islamic Network on Water Resources Development and Management (INWRDAM).
The decision on accession of Uzbekistan to INWRDAM was adopted at the seventh session of the Management Council of the organization, which was held in Amman, Jordan. The participants of the session adopted single decision on approval of Uzbekistan’s accession to the organization.
The delegation of Uzbekistan led by deputy minister of agriculture and water management Shavkat Hamraev participated at the meeting.
The Uzbek delegation held a meeting with the Dr. Murad Jabay Bino, the Executive Director of INWRDAM. Murad Jabay Bino welcomed the decision of Uzbekistan to join organization and said membership of Uzbekistan to raise international authority of the organization.
Murad Jabay Bino said INWRDAM leadership considers Uzbekistan as a leading country in Central Asia, including in ensuring rational use of water resources of the region.
INWRDAM executive director supported approach of Uzbekistan to problems of construction of new hydro power stations at trans-border rivers in Central Asia. He said the unilateral orientation of neighbouring states to use water resources violates international principles on water use and can harm ecological situation in the regional scale.
The Uzbek side shared the view of Uzbekistan on rational use of water resources in Central Asia, works on improving water management structure, introduction of water saving technologies and others to INWRDAM.
On May 25 UzDaily.com reported that Perm Oil Machine Engineering Company (POMEC, Russia) will supply pipes for uranium mining to Uzbekistan.
Construction of weighted drilling pipes was specially developed for NGMK. The difference of the pipe is square section. Pipes, produced by POMEC, are used with the pipes of Orenburg Drilling Equipment Plant. Director of POMEC Vladimir Jarennikov underlined that the production of squire drilling pipeline for uranium mining allows the enterprise to enter new markets.
On May 25, Asian Development Bank (ADB) President Haruhiko Kuroda inaugurated a 75-kilometer stretch of railway line that connects the Afghan city of Mazar-e-Sharif to the country’s bustling northern border with Uzbekistan.
At the opening ceremony in Hairatan Mr. Kuroda said that the new rail link between Mazar-e-Sharif and Hairatan will help reduce trade bottlenecks, boost commerce, and speed the flow of much-needed humanitarian assistance. It represents Afghanistan’s emergence as a regional crossroad for trade and commerce and – most importantly – the aspirations of Afghanistan’s people to redefine their country’s role in the region and in the world.
On May 25 were summed results of competition “The Best Airport of the CIS countries” for 2009. “Airport” Association of CIS Civil Aviation is the organizer of the competition.
Tashkent Internatinal Airport was recognized as the winner in nomination of “Perspective Developing Airport of the CIS country” in the category of the airports with passenger turnover of over 1 million.
In the category of the airports with passenger turnover between 100,000 and 500,000, Samarkand International Airport was named as “The Best Airport of the CIS states”.
Bukhara International Airport won in the nomination “Perspective Developing Airport of the CIS country” in the same category of the airports with passenger turnover between 100,000 and 500,000.
About 23 airports applied to competition, which was held to sum up 2009 activities. Uzbekistan presented three nominees.
On May 26 a business forum of business circles of Uzbekistan and Hungary took place in Tashkent, which considered issues of further expanding trade-economic and investment cooperation between two countries.
The Hungarian delegation familiarized with priority directions of attracting investments into economy of Uzbekistan, privatization processes, development of small and private business, and opportunities of industrial and economic zone Navoi.
The sides also discussed issues on fuller use of economic potential and opportunities between Uzbekistan and Hungary, development of trade-economic and investment cooperation, wider attraction of Hungarian companies into privatization process in Uzbekistan.
The sides underlined necessity to further strengthening of direct contacts between business circles of two countries.
On May 31 it became known that Lukoil, Russian oil company, began advanced drilling of gas wells at Adamtash deposit in Southern-western Gissar. The company plans to extract natural gas in 2012.
According to the company, Lukoil increased extraction of gas on international projects in 2009 by 1% year-on-year to 4.2 billion cu m, 53% of which fell to share of Kandym-Khauzak-Shady project in Uzbekistan.
The company extracted 2.2 billion cu m of gas at Kandym-Khauzak-Shady project area. The company traded gas from this deposit at the price of $ 190 per 1,000 cu m.
According to news agencies from May 31, Aral Sea Operating Company JV LLC, created by the consortium of investors, will start drilling of the second exploration well in the western Aral.
The joint venture received industrial gas inflow in the western Aral and plans to drill the second well, which will allow to receive more accurate date on gas reserves.
Sources: www.mfa.uz, www.uzreport.com, www.uzdaily.com
Prepared by Jasur Eshniyazov, expert of CPS
