January AmCham Meeting Hosts Mr. Bekenov, director of the State Assets Management Agency More than 50 percent of the Uzbek gross domestic product (GDP) is produced by state enterprises. In some sectors, such as the energy sector and railroads, state participation can reach up to 70 to 100 percent. At the same time, these enterprises only employ 18 percent of the Uzbek workforce. As a result, excessive involvement from state institutions into the operations of state enterprises, along with lack Read More...

Mr. Jurabek Mirzamahmudov, First Deputy Minister of Energy and General Director of Uzatom, was the key presenter at the October meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Uzbekistan. Mr. Mirzamahmudov presented on “Energy Sector Reform in Uzbekistan.” According to Mr. Mirzamahmudov, the ministry recently designed its 2030 strategy power sector reform that includes institutional and power sector reform, private-public partnership, renewable energy development, corporate governance and reg Read More...

The first monthly meeting after the summer break featured Bobir Karimov, First Deputy Chairman Antimonopoly Committee of the Republic of Uzbekistan. UK educated, Bobir is an experienced lawyer who worked both in public and private sectors of Uzbekistan. “The task of governments in the developing markets is to balance between development of private property and competition”, started Karimov. “Following the adherence of Uzbekistan to liberal economic path, the State Antimonopoly committee was Read More...

Mr. Akram Mukhamatkulov, Deputy Director, Investment Promotion Agency under the Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan was honorable speaker of the May monthly meeting. Held in the Wyndham Hotel, the meeting hosted over 40 members of AmCham Uzbekistan. Recently created agency is multi targeted tool to promote positive image of the country, attract potential investment projects and serve as an intermediary between the investor of related governmental stru Read More...

Atabek Nazirov, director of the Capital Market Development Agency (CMDA) of the Republic of Uzbekistan, spoke at April monthly meeting of the American Chamber of Commerce in Uzbekistan (AmCham) on April 12. Fifty representatives from the AmCham membership were present at the event, which was held at the Wyndham Tashkent Hotel. The CMDA was created by the Presidential Degree #4127 . As an authorized capital market regular, the agency aims to develop the capital markets in Uzbekistan and exercis Read More...

This month’s meeting featured two prominent speakers from Washington DC, USA. The first speaker was Deputy Assistant Secretary David Meale of the State Department Bureau of Economics and Business Affairs. He paid his first official visit in his current role since his appointment in December of 2018. It was DAS Meale’s first visit to Uzbekistan in the framework of Annual BiLateral Consultations. (ABC), and led the U.S. Department of State South and Central Asian Affairs Principal Deputy Assist Read More...

December’s monthly meeting featured a presentation by Mr. Odilbek Isakov, CFA and the Head of Debt Management Office and the Ministry of Finance Advisor. The event was held in the recently renovated Hotel International Tashkent and had over 70 guests in attendance. Mr. Isakov joined the Ministry of Finance in September of 2018 after having studied and worked in the UK for over a decade. He held different positions in the financial sector, including over 10 years with HSBC in London, UK. “ Read More...

The Minister of Innovative Development, Professor Ibrokhim Y. Abdurakhmonov, spoke before 60 members of AmCham and diplomatic corporations during the September 27th meeting. Created by a presidential initiative in November of 2017, the mission of the Ministry of Innovative Development is to ensure the accelerated innovative development of all sectors of the economy and social sphere by utilizing several strategies. These strategies include using advanced foreign experience, modern achievements Read More...

June’s monthly meeting was focused around the activities of the National Agency of Project Management Under the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The meeting was held in the restaurant “Dome” of the International Hotel Tashkent. As expected and as it usually is the event was well attended by our members, representatives of international organizations and diplomatic circles of Uzbekistan. Honorary speaker of the event was Mirpayoz Mirsaatov, the Head of the Public Procurement Supervisi Read More...

May’s second monthly meeting focused around H.E. Pamela Spratlen, and her departure from her post as Ambassador of the United States of America in Uzbekistan. All members of the American Chamber of Commerce were invited to the event, as well as representatives from several embassies. These included the Ambassador of Hungary, Switzerland, the EU, as well as members of the Latvian and French embassies. In addition, several non-member companies, such as Microsoft, Mars and Artishok, also attended Read More...

May’s monthly meeting was dedicated towards discussing up-and-coming investment opportunities across Uzbekistan. The American Chamber of Commerce invited all of its members, including honorary spekers, Mr. Alisher Tilyaev - Deputy Mayor of Tashkent, as well as Mr. Rustamkhon Azizov – Head of the Department of Investments, Innovations, Development of Tourism, and Assistance to Privatized Enterprises. Together, they explained which sectors of Uzbek economy were developing and which ones would be Read More...

Honorary speaker of April 18th Monthly Meeting was Associate Director of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Uzbekistan, Mr. Alkis Drakinos . AmCham members as well as guests of AmCham, among them Ambassadors of Switzerland, Israel, Bangladesh and Slovak Republic came to hear about EBRD’s viewpoint on the recent reforms in Uzbekistan and its activities in Uzbekistan. At the beginning of the evening the floor was given to David Spears, former World Bank’s Country Manager t Read More...

First Deputy Minister for the development of information technologies and communications of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Mr. Olimjon Muhamadjanovich Umarov was honorary speaker on April 4th Monthly Meeting held in Dome restaurant of International Hotel Tashkent. Transparency of his speech, intelligence and eagerness to cooperate in the direction of ITC development with AmCham and its member companies gained the sympathy of the event participants. During his speech Mr. Umarov told about priorit Read More...

Deputy Minister of Justice, Rector of the Institute of Law Yesemurat Kanyazov was an honorary speaker on the Monthly Meeting in February. The critical issues of the country image influencing on attraction of sustainable foreign investments were discussed during the monthly meeting. In his presentation Mr. Kanyazov raised the problem of educational system of Uzbekistan and lack of qualified specialists who will be able to implement business projects on the required level when investors open Read More...

The January monthly meeting was dedicated to issues surrounding Uzbekistan’s accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO). USAID International Expert Mr. Jovan Jekic provided an overview of the process, as well as potential implications for an Uzbekistan with WTO membership. The history of WTO, basic principles, rules, and the accession experience of other WTO member countries was described in detail by Mr. Jekic in his speech. As a member driven organization, WTO members must closely Read More...

The AmCham monthly meeting for January 2018 featured guest speaker, Chairman of the Senate Committee on International Relations, Foreign Economic Relations, and Investments and Tourism, Mr Alisher Kurmanov. The meeting was very well attended, with 100 members and guests, including ambassadors of France, Bangladesh, UK, Ukraine, Slovak Republic and Hungary. Of particular interest were remarks about Uzbekistan’s development from Mr Kurmanov, such a prominent and highly respected statesman. “ Read More...

Laziz Kudratov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Committee of Uzbekistan on investments addressed AmCham members at the December monthly meeting. In his speech, Mr. Kudratov presented to members and guests the main reasons why investors should choose Uzbekistan for investment. The President’s strategic priorities, which are included in “Action strategy 2017-202” and directed at improving the investment climate and attraction of foreign direct investment, are real steps which are already ta Read More...

Chief of International Monetary Fund mission to Uzbekistan Albert Jaeger graciously accepted AmCham invitation to be an honorary speaker on the monthly meeting which was specially organized during IMF mission visit to Tashkent on November 7–16 in order to discuss the authorities’ plans to continue reforms of the economy and to update the macroeconomic framework. In accordance with Article IV of the IMF Agreement, representatives of the IMF regularly visit the Republic of Uzbekistan to hold co Read More...

The October monthly meeting of AmCham Uzbekistan featured honorary speaker, Mr. Islom Jasimov, First Vice Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Uzbekistan (CCIU). Mr. Islom Jasimov’s began his speech by discussing the dynamic development of Uzbek-American relations, and the results of the American-Uzbek business forum which took place in September 2017, and was attended by the President of Uzbekistan Mr. Shavkat Mirziyoyev. On this threshold of a new era of American-Uzbek relatio Read More...

The February monthly meeting of AmCham in Uzbekistan featured honorary speaker, Mr. Alisher Shaykhov, Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Uzbekistan. Tõnu Grünberg, Vice President of AmCham Uzbekistan in his opening remarks expressed one of the main AmCham’s goals for 2017 which responds to positive reforms taking place in Uzbekistan - “building a dialog with the government on the new, more efficient level”. Mr. Shaykhov in his one and half hours speech covered all principal di Read More...

His Excellency Ambassador Eduards Stiprais, Head of the EU Delegation to Uzbekistan, was the honorary speaker at the January Monthly Meeting. The event was opened by AmCham Vice President, Tõnu Grünberg. In his opening remarks, Mr Grünberg looks forward to what promises to be a very successful year for AmCham, highlighting AmCham members, and the challenges and opportunities currently taking place in Uzbekistan. As the honorary speaker, the Head of the EU Delegation covered various issues of Read More...

His Excellency Neithart Höfer-Wissing, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Republic of Germany to Uzbekistan was the honorary speaker at the November Monthly Meeting. Introductory remarks were made by Hugo Minderhoud, AmCham Treasurer, member of the Board of Directors, and Honorary Consul of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Kingdom of Belgium. His Excellency Neithart Höfer-Wissing, gave an extensive review of the business climate and economic situation in Germany, a Read More...

Mr. Muhammadjan Babadjanov, Head of the Department of Monitoring of Investment Obligations of State Committee of Uzbekistan on Privatization, Demonopolization and Development of Competition was honorary speaker at the September Monthly Meeting of AmCham in Uzbekistan. The Committee is a State Governance Body which is involved in further deepening of the process of privatization of the State-owned Property and expansion of scales of the Private Property as a foundation of the Market Economy, r Read More...

H.E. Carmela Shamir, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Israel to Uzbekistan was honorary speaker at February Monthly Meeting of AmCham in Uzbekistan. “Ambassador Carmela Shamir has built brilliant career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel. Her previous assignments included United Kingdom, Belgium and Luxemburg etc. Ambassador Shamir speaks four languages including Japanese and French” - started his introduction remarks Donald Nicholson II, AmCham President. Over Read More...