Uzbekistan plans to involve Deloitte in developing long-term strategy

The Uzbek Ministry for the Development of Information Technologies and Communications held negotiations with the representative of the regional department of Deloitte Christopher Armitage which focused on the involvement of Deloitte in developing a national concept in the field of ICT.

In particular, the issue of studying best international practices and applying it in Uzbekistan was considered, according to the message on the ministry's website.

The future concept should cover such areas as telecommunications infrastructure, e-government, information security, innovation, mail, logistics and e-commerce. This will also include the issues of education, training and retraining of personnel.

Deloitte is the brand under which tens of thousands of dedicated professionals in independent firms throughout the world collaborate to provide audit & assurance, consulting, risk and financial advisory, risk management, tax, and related services to select clients. These firms are members of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited, a UK private company limited by guarantee ("DTTL").

Each DTTL member firm provides services in particular geographic areas and is subject to the laws and professional regulations of the particular country or countries in which it operates.

In 2015, Fortune magazine included Deloitte in the rating of the 100 most outstanding companies in the world.

Since 2018, Uzbekistan has refused to approve annual investment programs, preferring long-term investment strategies. The industries and regions are tasked to develop a ten-year investment attraction strategy. At the same time, forecasted demographic indicators and unique "growth points" for each region or industry should be taken into account.

Later, long-term plans for the development of industries and regions will make it possible to compile short-term three-year programs. It is planned to start operating in accordance with them in 2019.

Uzbekistan imposes moratorium on inspection of entrepreneurs

Uzbekistan has imposed a moratorium on inspections of financial and business activities of business entities, with the exception of inspections conducted in criminal cases and in connection with the liquidation of a legal entity.

This is stipulated by the presidential decree "On the State Program for the Implementation of the Action Strategy on five priority development directions of Uzbekistan in 2017-2021" in the Year of Support of Active entrepreneurship, innovative ideas and technologies."

Under the decree, the President abolished the Republican Council for Coordination of the Activities of the Control Authorities from April 1,2018. At the same time, the head of state handed over 228 authorized units of the state tax service to the prosecutor's office.

Since April 1, the duplicating functions and powers of the justice bodies to protect the rights and legitimate interests of small businesses, private entrepreneurs, foreign investors and enterprises with foreign investment are excluded.

Under the presidential decree, the audit of financial and economic activities conducted within the framework of criminal cases should not exceed one month, in exceptional cases, the period of verification may be extended for not more than one month by the General Prosecutor of the Republic of Uzbekistan or his deputy.

The launch of criminal cases on facts related to offenses in the conduct of entrepreneurial activity is carried out exclusively with the consent of the prosecutor of the Republic of Karakalpakstan, regional prosecutors, the city of Tashkent and equal prosecutors.

Information on violations in the activities of business entities, information about the inspections and monitoring (the basis, time of inspections or monitoring, employees who conducted them, and others) and the measures taken to eliminate the violations are included in mandatory manner into a special electronic information system of the prosecutor's office.

WB issues loan to Uzbekistan for modernization of the district heating sector

The World Bank's Board of Executive Directors approved financing of the District Heating Energy Efficiency Project, through which over 240,000 residents in five cities across Uzbekistan are to benefit from improved efficiency and quality of heating and hot water services.

The Project will be financed by a $140 million credit from the International Development Association, a part of the World Bank.

"The World Bank is pleased to support the modernization of the District Heating sector," said Hideki Mori, World Bank Country Manager for Uzbekistan. "These measures will improve the living conditions of hundreds of thousands of people across Uzbekistan."

Uzbekistan often experiences cold and harsh winters. A stable heat supply is therefore critical for ensuring the well-being of its citizens and for preventing environmental, safety, and health-related hazards.

The District Heating Energy Efficiency Project aims to address all challenges in this field by introducing, for the first time, a modern District Heating model for Uzbekistan. The Project will specifically benefit residents living in multi-apartment buildings in the cities of Andijan, Bukhara, Chirchik, Samarkand, and Tashkent (Sergeli district), and which are connected to or will be connected to the District Heating service.

Users of public and administrative buildings, including kindergartens, schools, hospitals, and municipality offices, will also experience an improvement in the quality of heating services. The Project will also invest in District Heating infrastructure, enhancing their capacity, and improving the regulatory framework to make selected District Heating companies more viable, efficient, and sustainable.

The electricity distribution subsidiaries of the state-owned energy company Uzbekenergo will experience a reduced overloading of their power networks and consequently there will be lower technical losses, fewer breakdowns, and less power outages in the five participating cities. The Project is expected to reduce natural gas and electricity consumption, as well as CO2emissions, in the cities.

The World Bank is helping Uzbekistan to reach a wide range of development goals by supporting 16 projects worth $ 2 billion. These projects support agriculture and water resources management, energy, transport, healthcare, education, urban development, water supply and sanitation.

CONTACT INFORMATION:
The American-Uzbekistan 
Chamber of Commerce  
1030 15th Street, N.W., 
Suite 555W  
Washington, DC 20005  
phone: 202.509.3744  
info@aucconline.com
www.aucconline.com