UZBEKISTAN CONFERENCE GUESTS TOUT EMERGING 'EURASIAN TIGER' ECONOMY

TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, July 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Day 4 of a week-long international conference entitled 'New Uzbekistan: development, innovation and enlightenment' turned its focus to the country's regional leadership role, with the concept of Uzbekistan as a 'Eurasian Tiger' taking shape.

Several hundred guests from various national institutions and government organisations interacted with panel discussions featuring experts from 15 countries, tackling subjects such as foreign policy, transport corridors.

During a session on the topic of changing the country's image, a representative of the South Korean construction giant DL E&C Co., Ltd, said Uzbekistan will be the new 'Eurasian Tiger.' Responding to a suggestion that Uzbekistan was in some ways similar to South Korea 30 years ago — poised to become an Asian tiger, Minsu Jang, Civil Business Division Vice President of DL E&C, said, "I agree with you. I think the new big tiger is here. That's why we selected to participate in Uzbekistan among all the CIS countries. It is very impressive."

The importance of Uzbekistan in an east-west land corridor, the so-called 'New Silk Road' was raised by Wang Gochao of Lianyungang Port Group in China. "The logistical corridor that connects the Pacific Ocean to the west via Uzbekistan in the internal part of Asia ensures the connectivity of east and west, north and south, it ensures access to the sea for landlocked countries and this is our main purpose: to increase operation and efficiency of transport, warehousing, logistics services."

Sir James Wharton, Member of the UK House of Lords, paid tribute to the country's positive trajectory in human capital mobilization. "If a country has to be successful in the world, it has to use every resource it has. And of course, one of Uzbekistan's greatest resources is its people. And I would strongly endorse the approach that's being taken to maximize the value of that human capital to recognize the contribution that people can make collectively to the state in the economy, but also for each individual to protect his or her rights as part of that process."

Speaking about the pivotal role of Uzbekistan in rail and road transport across Eurasia, Latvia's Deputy State Secretary of Transportation, Uldis Reimanis, said, "We in Latvia highly value the decision to second your transportation attache to Latvia, that's the only European country where Uzbekistan's embassy will have this full position of an officer responsible for transportation. That's great. And we've signed a memorandum of understanding with the countries of Central Asia, which will produce better opportunities to access other routes, like to China, for example."

Previously, panels covered measures being taken to better educate the young population and to provide for a healthy society.

Munir Mamedzadeh, head of the UNICEF office in Tashkent, speaking about the challenges facing Uzbekistan's education system, continued, "We need to see climate resilient education, system and infrastructure. But in order to understand better what are the emerging realities in economy or introduction of artificial intelligence, we must engage children and young people and communities themselves to be part of the national dialogue."

Amarillo Inoyatov, Minister of Health of the Republic of Uzbekistan, spoke about progress in healthcare, stating, "Uzbekistan's new Constitution became the legal basis for the development of quality healthcare and the achievement of a healthy future. Over the past 7 years, more than 200 legal and regulatory acts in the field of healthcare have been adopted and in the next few years, healthcare spending is expected to double and reach $6 billion. The main principle informing all of our efforts is to promote human interest."

Homie A. Razavi, the Founder and Managing Director of the US-based Center for Disease Analysis Foundation, praised the performance of Uzbekistan's healthcare sector. "I'm very very proud to say that Uzbekistan has implemented a national program to fund and support Hepatitis C elimination by 2030. As part of that program, all testing and laboratory treatment is provided free of charge to all Uzbekistan's citizens. This was done through a partnership with the Ministry of Health. Next year, 2 million people will be screened throughout all polyclinics."

Uzbekistan's Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovations, Ibrahim Abdurahmanov, concluded, "Historically, we had lots of good schools, good talents, but we finally understood ourselves that innovation is not science only. Innovation is like money. When you sell your knowledge, that is innovation. And after that, we give our scientists and our young generation the freedom of thinking and prepared all infrastructure like technoparks and innovation centers, so that they can prototype the ideas."

The week's program, a joint endeavor of the Center of Sustainable Development of Uzbekistan and the World Society for the Study, Preservation and Popularization of the Cultural Legacy of Uzbekistan, featured more than 50 conferences, roundtable discussions and practical dialogues organized by research and analytical centers, business community, ministries and agencies together with more than 300 foreign partners.

More than 460 well-known political and public figures, big business representatives and experts from 60 countries and 5 international organizations are visiting the international events organized during the week. Among them, 19 ministers and high-ranking state figures, heads of 203 organizations, companies and associations, rectors, presidents and directors of more than 70 prestigious foreign universities and research centers will participate.