On the 18th of July, AmCham Uzbekistan participated with the United States Chamber of Commerce U.S. - Central Asia Trade and Investment Framework Agreement held in Washington DC.  The event focused on transportation and energy infrastructure within Central Asia.  High officials in the area of trade and investment gave presentations from all five of the Central Asian states.   Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, E. Ganiev and the Uzbekistan Ambassador to the United States, A. Komilov, headed the Uzbekistan government representations for the meetings.  The audience was well attended by many representatives from major companies either operating or of interest to operate within Central Asia, personnel of the U.S. State Department and U.S. Commerce Department, and other organizations such as Institute for Defense Analyses, a Washington DC “think tank”, and executive directors of chambers operating or of interest within the Central Asian republics. 

After opening addresses by Gary Litman of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and opening remarks by David Bohigian, Assistant Secretary for Market Access and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce and Evan Feigenbaum, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, each official from the Central Asian States had the opportunity to present his countries platform for investment opportunity.  The opening remarks of both David Bohigian and Evan Feigenbaum focused on the fact we live in a dynamic world economy, with a dramatic shift in the world balance of power with Asian economies ever strengthening, and Central Asian countries located as a strategic part of these economic changes.  The concept of the Trade and Investment Framework Agreement initiative is to create partnerships but not to destroy existing traditional trade relationships.  In relation to the partnership, is to promote regional cooperation.  It is important to create the infrastructure to develop stronger ties within the region to enhance the ability of the region to join in to the global changes.

Minister Ganiev presentation was centered primarily on the stable, controlled economic growth within Uzbekistan and cited government statistics to show the economic growth within Uzbekistan is strong.  Minister Ganiev represented Uzbekistan well and in combination with Ambassador Kamilov, presented a friendly atmosphere for Uzbekistan.  Minister Ganiev was very sociable to both Bob Pace of the American Uzbekistan Chamber of Commerce and myself and seemed very pleased that we were in attendance and gave support for Uzbekistan.

During the second half of the meeting, four companies currently doing business within Central Asia spoke of their experiences and objectives for the region.  The two most relevant experiences were on behalf of General Electric in their refurbishment of rail road locomotives within Kazakhstan and FedEx experiences in making Almaty, Kazakhstan as their Central Asian hub.

Both companies were very excited about their business and the cooperation that they receive from the Kazakhstan government.  FedEx explained that their decision to rely on Kazakhstan to place their regional hub was based on the reliability and the stability of the Kazakhstan government.  Of the two additional speakers, one represented a company that sells and installs aviation guidance systems.  His experience had been of less than perfect in that after experiencing multiple customs issues in importing the equipment, they had not yet been paid for the equipment even though the equipment is installed and operating.  Because of the sensitivity of the issue, he did not state the country responsible.  The fourth company was Louis Berger Inc. that had installed hard surface roads in Afghanistan.  Their experience was very positive however, this type of business in Afghanistan where money is provided by governments, is difficult to relate the same as continuing business within the true Central Asian republics. 

In the afternoon, meetings held at the U.S. State Department, Richard Boucher outlined foreign investment potentials and urged that if we create the right investment environment and create the right market conditions, then the money and the people will come.  He said that this “increases the sovereignty and the independence of your countries as well as the prospects for development”.

 
Prepared by Robert Horton, UzTexaco, Amcham Director