Uzbekistan Grows in Stability and Prosperity

Uzbek Ambassador to Korea Vitali Fen contributed the following article to The Korea Times on the occasion of President Islam Karimov's visit to Korea from Feb. 10 to 12. -- ED.

Under the leadership of President Islam Karimov, Uzbekistan has made great achievements in the past few years since the country gained its independence in 1991.

On Jan. 29, the Cabinet ministers held a session to resume the results of the socioeconomic development of the country in 2009 and to put forward its main economic priorities for the current year.

President Karimov delivered a speech in the session. In particular, he said thanks to correct development and modernization strategies and efforts for the 2009-2012 Anti-Crisis Program, the country managed not only to withstand the challenges of the global crisis, but ensured stable economic and social growth.

Macroeconomic stability and stable economic growth rates have proved Uzbekistan's economy is on the right track, the President noted, and acknowledged it as the Uzbek model of economic reforms.

In 2009, the GDP increased by 8.1 percent, industrial production by 9 percent, agricultural production by 5.7 percent, retail trade turnover by 16.6 percent and services by 12.9 percent.

The state budget has been implemented with a surplus without cuts in budget spending, while the inflation level did not exceed the forecast and comprised 7.4 percent, the head of state said.

The measures to strengthen banking and financial sectors have allowed the cumulative capital of the banks to double in the past two years, while the share of bank credits used for investment purposes has reached 70 percent.

Measures have been implemented to ensure the financial stability of the enterprises, mainly through modernization of production, reduction of products' cost price, expansion of cooperative ties and stimulating internal demand.

The volume of localized production increased by 2.3 times last year, with the launch of more than 120 new products.

Thanks to the support and stimulation of the local exporting enterprises despite unfavorable conjuncture in the world markets in 2009, export volumes increased by 2.4 percent.

Uzbekistan has pursued structural transformation and diversification of the economy, modernization and technical renewal of production, and attracting investment, mainly from abroad.

New production capacities were launched last year in the automobile building, construction materials, chemical, food, light, pharmaceutical and other industries.

Car and railway transport systems and communications have also seen extensive development.

The anti-crisis measures taken in 2009 have resulted in creating more than 940,000 new workplaces, including over 500,000 in the rural areas.

President Karimov also drew attention to the existing problems and touched upon the most important tasks in the country's social and economic development in 2010.

The President entrusted the heads of ministries, economic management bodies, as well as local authorities, to continue and deepen reforms in the economy, to implement strategic investment projects and to strengthen the banking and financial systems.

Karimov also highlighted importance of the implementation of all measures included in the 2010 State Program "Year of harmoniously developed generation."

In the last decade, Korea became a key political and economic partner for Uzbekistan among Asian countries. Strong supporter of democratic and market reforms have been undertaken in Uzbekistan with the leadership of the president.

Since his inauguration in 2008, Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Karimov have established a warm personal friendship, which has become an important factor in comprehensive cooperation between the two countries.

President Lee made an official visit to Uzbekistan in 2009 between May 10 and 12.

Karimov and Lee held a fruitful summit at Ok Saroy presidential residence in Tashkent, during which they reconfirmed a bilateral strategic partnership, signed in 2006.

They discussed the current state and prospects of the bilateral relations, the outstanding regional and international issues of mutual interest, and evaluated the outcome of two-way cooperation in the exploitation of petroleum and natural gas, and mineral resources.

While in Uzbekistan, Lee proposed a joint project, the "New Silk Road," with Uzbekistan.

By carrying out a joint project backed by Korea's advanced IT and Uzbekistan's vast logistics and railway networks, Karimov and Lee agreed to construct a win-win cooperation partnership in the years to come.

At the summit, Tashkent and Seoul signed a total of 37 deals regarding joint exploration projects and drilling of new oil fields in Uzbekistan.

Korea is interested in elaborating and implementing new projects in areas like education, car making, the textile industry, information technology, infrastructure, construction, and oil and gas sectors in Uzbekistan.

Among the new projects is a joint development of a Free Industrial-Economic Zone in the Navoi region of Uzbekistan, which has developed industrial structure, skilled manpower and rich raw material resources.

According to figures, the volume of trade between the two countries in 2008 jumped 63 percent and accounted for $1.3 billion.

Because of the global economic crisis bilateral trade has slightly decreased and marked nearly $1.2 billion in 2009.

Uzbekistan and South Korea also consistently extend cooperation in the framework of international organizations.

The Korean government has highly valued Uzbekistan's support of Ban Ki-moon for the post at the United Nations.

Uzbekistan also supports South Korea's policy toward strengthening peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula and the joint development of Northeastern Asia.

The Republic of Korea supports Uzbekistan's bid to join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Recently, Uzbekistan extended its support to Korea to host the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2012.

Tashkent and Seoul pay special attention to the joint struggle against international terrorism, extremism and the drug trade.

The continuity of the Uzbek-South Korean summits witnesses the sincerity of relations between the two countries and heads of states based on mutual trust and respect.

The Uzbek-Korean summit in Tashkent has served as another confirmation of the fact that the relations between the two states are buttressed with friendship at the highest level.

Uzbekistan and South Korea have become the strategic partners.

Now they are continuing to extend cooperation on this very basis.

During the forthcoming summit, Karimov and Lee will exchange views on the current situation and prospects of bilateral strategic partnership, the regional and international issues of mutual interest, and assess the outcome of two-way cooperation in the sphere of energy and mineral resources.

Thus, the visit of President Karimov will serve for the further enhancement of friendly and cooperative relations between our two countries.

Who Is President Islam Karimov?

Islam Abduganievich Karimov was born on Jan. 30, 1938 in Samarkand City. His nationality is Uzbek. He graduated from the Central Asian Polytechnic Institute and the Tashkent Institute of National Economy with specialties in mechanical engineering and economics.

He started his labor activity in 1960 at Tashselmash plant.

From 1961 to 1966, he worked as an engineer and was a leading engineer-constructor at the Tashkent aircraft industrial association named after V. Chkalov.

In 1966, he moved to the State Planning Office of the UzSSR, where he was promoted from senior specialist to the first deputy chairman of the State Planning Office.

In 1983, Karimov was appointed minister of finance of the UzSSR, and in 1986 he served as deputy chairman of the Council of Ministers of the UzSSR and chairman of the State Planning Office.

In 1986-89, he worked as first secretary of the Kashkadarya Provincial Party Committee. From June 1989, he was elected first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan.

On Mar. 24, 1990 at the session of the Supreme Council of Uzbek SSR, Karimov was elected first president of the UzSSR.

On Aug. 31, 1991, President Karimov proclaimed the state independence of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On Dec. 29, 1991, he was elected the first president of the Republic of Uzbekistan.

On March 26, 1995, in accordance with a national referendum, the presidential term of Karimov was extended to 2000.

On Jan. 9, 2000 at the national elections, Karimov was again elected as head of state. In December 2007, he was reelected for another term as president of Uzbekistan, winning the elections held on Dec. 23.

Karimov is married, with two daughters and three grandchildren. His wife Т.A. Karimova is an economist and a scientist.

Awards and Citations:

For prominent input into the development of a sovereign and independent Uzbekistan, the creation of a humane democratic legal state, provision of the civil peace and national consent and testified courage and stability, President Karimov was awarded the "Uzbekistan Kakhramoni" title and "Mustakillik" and "Amir Temur" Orders.

Karimov has also been awarded Orders and Medals from a number of states and authoritative international organizations.

He is the initiator and leader of historic transformations in Uzbekistan. He has directly contributed to:

• The program of independent development of the country, and the formulation of national legislation, including the Constitution of Uzbekistan;

• The program of state and social construction, reforming of administration, both central and locally, the realization of principles harmonizing the interests of the state, society and the individual;

• Establishment of the Uzbek model of economic development based on five principles: de-ideologization of the economy; supremacy of laws; step-by-step reforming; state regulation during the transition period and strong social policy; and reforming the armed forces and border forces.

President Karimov has also:

• Testified a great will, selflessness and courage in defending the honor and dignity of the Uzbek people, when forces led by the Central Committee of Communist Party of USSR tried to discredit his honest name and made unlawful acts in Uzbekistan;

• Made a huge input in increasing the prestige, respect and strengthening of Uzbekistan support at the international level;

• Made weighty input in development and introduction to the public consciousness of the national ideology basis on human and national values and traditions;

• Made a huge input in establishment, saving and strengthening the peace of the country, and stability and consent between the people of various nationalities;

• Was an initiator of construction of big enterprises, cultural facilities and communications, having impacted the economical development of the country that led to significant changes to many towns and villages, and Tashkent.