Uzbekistan, Tashkent, July 6 / Trend D. Azizov /
French Oberthur Technologies SA will participate in a project to create a single multi-service network to draw up passport and visa documents based on biometrics in Uzbekistan worth 75.107 million euros, a source in the government said.
Oberthur Technologies SA has won a closed tender for the project "Establishment of a biometric passport system in the Uzbek Republic ", declared by the state center of personalization under the Uzbek Cabinet of Ministers, the source said.
The state center for personalization signed a contract with the French company worth 75.107 million euros upon the governmental decree.
The contract will be financed owing to the credit of the bank "Societe Generale" (France), drawn under the guarantee of the Uzbek government and refinanced through the National Bank for Foreign Economic Affairs of Uzbekistan.
The loan worth 11.266 million euros, or 15 percent of the contract is drawn for an advance payment under the contract for three years with a grace period of one year at an interest rate of EURIBOR plus 4.2 percent per annum.
The loan worth 69.689 million euros (85 percent of the value of the contract and the insurance premium COFACE) will be granted for a period of 8.5 years with a two-year grace period at an interest rate of EURIBOR plus 1.5 percent per annum.
The state center for personalization is a borrower and the executive body responsible for implementing the project, targeted and effective use of credit.
The financial cost in the investment period, as well as costs associated with servicing loans will be funded from the budget of the republic.
The Uzbek government allowed the State Center for personalization and Foreign Trade National Bank to make an advance payment prior to the approval of technical and economic calculations of the project in the government.
It is expected that the feasibility estimation of the project will be considered by the government in July this year.
According to the governmental decision, the French company is exempt from value added tax with the work (services) for the period of the project. Foreign contractors and consultants are exempt from tax on profits of legal entities on income derived from the payment source, or through a permanent establishment. Moreover, equipment and special equipment, including component parts, consumables and spare parts supplied for the project are exempt from customs duties.
It was reported that Uzbekistan plans to introduce the passport system based on biometric data from 2011. The initial introduction of the system is scheduled for 2010. However, then the term was postponed till January 1, 2011.
Moreover, all arrangements for exchange of passports are required to implement by 2016.
Passports of employees, working in state institutions and citizens, traveling or staying abroad, as well as those receiving a passport for the first time or exchanging due to the expiration, will be replaced in 2011. All other citizens must get biometric passports in the second phase (2012-2015 years).
According to the Interior Ministry, biometric passports are introduced to improve their protection against possible counterfeiting, mechanisms for rapid and accurate identification at border crossings, ensure safety of international civil air navigation and increase efficiency of international air traffic.
The national center for personalization was established to produce and record biometric passports and provide their citizens under the Cabinet of Ministers. Uzbekistan plans to create 215 points to collect biometric data and form applications for the production of passports. About 40 points will be opened in embassies and consulates of the country abroad.
The population of Uzbekistan April 1, 2010 exceeded 28 million. About 60 percent of the population is older 16.
French Oberthur Technologies is a world leader in security technologies. The company participated in the production of 100 Lithuanian banknotes for the Bank of Lithuania, the production of banknotes IV 20, 50, 100 and 5,000 Kyrgyz soums, as well as a project to introduce biometric passports in Georgia.