The Cabinet of Ministers issued the Measures to Improve Activities of Termez Free Economic Zone Resolution creating Termez free economic zone.
According to the head of the regional department of investments and foreign trade, Samandar Khudoiberdiev, 20 types of export-oriented and import-substituting industrial products are expected to be produced in the new FEZ. It will mainly be exported to Afghanistan and Tajikistan. These days, work is underway on the project for a TV manufacturing unit.
The US$ 6.5 million project has the production capacity of 50 thousand TVs per year. The project will be launched at the end of September. The focus is on product quality and affordability.
Now in the free economic zone, construction work has begun at other production facilities. The issues with access roads, electricity and water have been completely resolved.
“The FEZ’s main purpose is oriented for Afghanistan where there is barely any production. Afghanistan annually imports US$ 4-5 billion worth of goods. Our goal is to create convenience for our neighbors. It is difficult for them to travel to the Fergana Valley, Samarkand and other provinces to buy goods. And we are creating a green corridor for them to enter our territory. Afghan citizens can use this corridor to enter, trade and conclude contracts with manufacturers. Only they will need to go through a special X-ray machine,” said Rustam Pardaev, first deputy governor of the Surkhandarya province in charge of economic issues.
Also the Afghanistan nationals travel to Pakistan or India for treatment. That is why it is planned to build private medical clinics at the FEZ.
“It should be noted that this zone is closed for Uzbeks and open for citizens of Afghanistan. They can enter this zone without any visa, after being checked, trading, sign contracts, and business people from Uzbekistan are allowed into the zone and released on the basis of a passport control,” UzA said.
