The growth prospects of Karakalpakstan, the sole autonomous republic of Uzbekistan, a populous country in Central Asia.
Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic, located in the far west of Uzbekistan, became the focus of the national investor forum. Its abundant natural gas reserves, suitable climate for wind power production, promising agricultural production prospects, and its geographical position overlooking Europe and the Middle East have made local governments and financial analysts confident about Karakalpakstan's annual growth rate, which they believe will reach 6%.
Tashkent (Asia News) - On June 11, the national investor forum was held in Tashkent. Nuriyev, Managing Director of the Boston Consulting Group and an Azeri manager, spoke at the forum, focusing on the bright prospects of Karakalpakstan Autonomous Republic in Uzbekistan. Nuriyev introduced the region's development strategy and emphasized the "four foundations" to achieve major economic projects by 2035: cheap green energy, ideal locations for energy-intensive industries, meat and dairy production, and "exotic tourism."
The development plan was jointly proposed by the central government of Uzbekistan and relevant ministries and regional authorities. Nuriyev said, "Karakalpakstan has enormous potential, not only becoming the leader of economic growth in Uzbekistan and even the entire Central Asia region." The republic is located in the far west of Uzbekistan, covering an area of 166,600 square kilometers, making it the largest region in Uzbekistan. Karakalpakstan has always been striving to defend its autonomy, even having conflicts with the central government like during the Soviet era and in recent years. The Karakalpak people belong to the Turkic language group, and their name means "black hat," indicating the typical style of this tribe. They may be distinct from Tatar-Mongol tribes but still retain their own language and cultural traditions, being descendants of the medieval "Karakalpak" people in the Khorasan Plain.
The capital of the Republic of Karakalpakstan is Nukus, a city with a population slightly over 300,000, which has been in decline and backward due to the drying up of the Aral Sea basin and to prevent transnational companies (especially Chinese companies) from occupying its land. Nukus has been in a state of depression and backwardness for many years. Compared with other regions of Uzbekistan, as the water volume of the Amu Darya River, the most important river in Central Asia (whose downstream flows through Karakalpakstan), continues to decrease, it is difficult to determine when Nukus will "revive."
Nuriyev believes that although the mountainous climate is harsh and the winds are strong, this could bring positive impacts, as the region has more than 60 gigabytes (GB) of wind energy potential, and the already planned 10-gigabyte (GB) project will provide half of Uzbekistan's current electricity. Natural gas reserves are a significant advantage, considering all natural gas import pipelines pass through this western part of the country, and further increases in reserves can be achieved through appropriate geological exploration. Agricultural production prospects are also attractive, as more than half of Uzbekistan's pastures are distributed in Karakalpakstan, where animal husbandry, especially cattle breeding, can be developed as a priority.
Seyyida Mirziyoyeva, presidential advisor and daughter, also detailed the region's cultural attractions, listing sites rich in history and exotic charm, such as the Savitsky Museum, which houses the largest collection of avant-garde artists in the entire post-Soviet region. The head of the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) pointed out the favorable geographical location and logistics advantages: "If you want to export products to countries such as Turkey, the Middle East, and Europe, the western part is very advantageous, and the transportation structure in this region is very convenient."
It is expected that the average annual economic growth rate of the region will start at 6%, especially considering that European partners prioritize "green certificates" for all products. An office for destination management has been opened in Nukus to provide travel itineraries and agreements to international tour operators. Mirziyoyeva confirmed that "the future of Karakalpakstan is one of the main priorities of the country" and invited investors to take this significant bet.
Author: Vladimir Rozanskij
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1835478949597184/
Disclaimer: This article represents the views of the author alone.