Uzbekistan aims to attract $5 billion in investments to Karakalpakstan next year. The funds are intended for projects in industry, raw material processing, agriculture, and other sectors, expected to create thousands of new jobs.
At a meeting on the socio-economic development of Karakalpakstan, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev noted a lack of up-to-date data on geological reserves. Currently, only about 20% of the region's territory has been surveyed. Amid growing investor interest, the task is to expand geological exploration and reassess deposit reserves.
As an example, the president cited the "Urusoy" deposit in the Karauzyak district. A Chinese investor invested $33 million in the project and applied new technologies, revealing gold reserves of 4 tons on a 200-hectare plot. The project has already created 320 jobs.
Within a month, it is instructed to resolve issues raised by investors and create a gold mining and processing cluster with 1,000 jobs. Additionally, a comprehensive geological exploration program is planned, along with a reassessment of deposit reserves.
Separate projects are also envisaged for processing other types of raw materials. At the "Borsakelmas" deposit in the Kungrad district, 1 million tons of technical salt are sold annually without processing. At the "Kuskanatau" deposit in the Bozatau district, it is proposed to process mirabilite to produce up to 45,000 tons of sodium sulfate per year, and obtain magnesium sulfate from astrakhanite.
Another project involves a quartzite deposit in the Beruniy district. A German company intends to invest $30 million, organize crystalline silicon production, and reach exports of $25 million per year. On the world market, a ton of such raw material costs about $5,500.
Separate plans have been prepared for other industries. In the Amudarya, Beruniy, Takhtakupyr, Kegeyli, and Turtkul districts, projects in the textile and leather industries worth $150 million are planned.
In Nukus, Nukus district, and Karauzyak district, electrical engineering projects worth $200 million are planned, while in Karauzyak, Bozatau, and Beruniy districts, production of energy-efficient building materials worth $100 million is envisaged.
Another $120 million is planned for auto components production in Nukus. Pharmaceutical projects worth $50 million will appear in Nukus, Kanlykul, Kegeyli, Chimbay, and Bozatau district.
In the Takhtakupyr district, a joint project with the Italian company Bonifica Ferrarizi worth $50 million will start. On an area of 2,000 hectares, tomatoes and grains will be grown and processed for subsequent export to Europe.
By October 15, presentations for potential investors must also be held in the districts. Regional leaders are tasked with attracting investors and launching projects that will create 2,000–3,000 well-paid jobs.
Furthermore, the task is to formulate specific projects based on the principle of "raw materials – finished products – export" to simultaneously increase employment and added value in the region.
Earlier, it was reported that Nukus for the first time launched training under the British Pearson BTEC vocational education program. The technical college will also train specialists for a new industrial zone worth $40 million.
Source: podrobno.uz