BAKU, Azerbaijan, Nov. 25
By Fakhri Vakilov-Trend:
Following the first international investment forum entitled “Invest in Samarkand” and held in Uzbekistan's Samarkand region, agreements worth $1.3 billion were signed, Trend reports citing the press service of Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The organizer of the forum, the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, said that 146 agreements totaling $1.3 billion include 52 investment agreements totaling $1 billion and 94 export contracts worth $300 million.
The event was aimed at further increasing the economic potential of the Samarkand region, attracting foreign direct investment, familiarizing investors with the conditions and opportunities of the region and increasing its export potential.
More than 310 representatives of 31 countries, including China, South Korea, Spain, the USA, Italy, Israel, Russia, Japan, India, Turkey, Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Kazakhstan attended the forum. The event was also visited by the Governor of the Lombardy region (Italy) Attilio Fontana.
At the sectional plenary meetings, the participants discussed issues on investment opportunities and the attractiveness of the region for investment, the transformation of the tourism industry into a strategic sector of the economy, the potential and prospects for the development of the construction industry, increasing export potential, localization of production, import substitution and intensive development of agricultural processing.
With the support of the Embassy of Uzbekistan in Spain, during the forum, an agreement was signed between the Samarkand Regional Administration and the Spanish Royal Football Club "Real Madrid" on the opening of the Real Madrid Football Academy in the region.
As part of the forum, foreign investors presented projects for the construction and operation of a new international airport in the Samarkand region, an amusement park with attractions and a large-format IMAX movie theater, a factory for the production of buses and other special equipment with electric motors, an IT park, business centers and tourist complexes.
The forum participants also visited the National exhibition of manufacturers of industrial goods and agricultural products of the Samarkand region “Made in Samarkand”, got acquainted with product samples and negotiated with manufacturers to establish export of products.
The guests were also familiarized with the work of large enterprises of the region including Pure Milky (dairy products), Agro Mir (juices and nectars), AG Gilamlari (rugs), and (Afrosiyob) jeans textiles and clothing.
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