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BISHKEK (TCA) — Kyrgyzstan Vice Prime Minister Zamirbek Askarov, Chui Oblast Governor Tuigunaly Abdraimov, and U.S. Ambassador to the Kyrgyz Republic Mr. Donald Lu on April 19 visited a new apparel factory in the country’s northern Chui Oblast. The new factory creates 350 new jobs for supporting its production expansion and for meeting international quality standards, the US Embassy in Bishkek reported. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — A Textile and Clothing Week was held in Bishkek from November 7 to 16. It was the first large-scale event in the history of Kyrgyzstan devoted to the development of the textile and apparel sector. As part of the event, roundtables, a Fashion Week and a High Level Forum were held. At the awarding ceremony, winners of competitions of young designers, industrial enterprises, craftsmen and the media were announced. An exhibition-fair of garments from local manufacturers took place, where local companies showcased their fabrics, clothes, shoes, and accessories. The event was organized by the Kyrgyz Government, the Legprom Light Industry Enterprises Association of Kyrgyzstan, Fashion Designers Association of Kyrgyzstan, development partners including UNDP, EBRD, and ILO, and Russian-Kyrgyz Development Fund. On November 16, a high-level Forum discussed how the State could support the industry to attract labor to the sector, improve the training system and ensure decent working conditions and tools for financing the clothing industry, as well as to enhance its export competitiveness. At the end of the forum, its participants adopted a Resolution on the State’s measures to support the industry. Priority sector Textile and clothing production is among the priority sectors of Kyrgyzstan’s economy. The industry has a high export potential and is of special social significance for the country, as it creates mass jobs. According to the National Statistical Committee, more than 45 thousand people are employed in the textile and clothing industry of Kyrgyzstan. Considering that many enterprises work in the shadow economy, the number of people employed in this sector, according to various estimates, ranges from 200,000 to 300,000. Over 90% of the sector’s workers are women. The garment products rank third in Kyrgyzstan’s export. Over the eight months of this year, garment enterprises exported goods worth $157 million. According to the Economy Ministry, production of the clothing industry has increased by 15% over the past three years. In terms of the volume of imported garment products to Russia, Kyrgyzstan ranks the fifth after China, Turkey, Italy, and Germany. This indicates high quality of Kyrgyzstan’s products. Shortage of labor The garment industry badly lacks personnel while the existing staff has low qualifications, said President of the Legprom Association Saparbek Asanov at the forum.Most industry companies are located in Bishkek and near it, while the bulk of the workforce is available in rural areas, which results in a systemic gap in the human resources. The problem of personnel outflow is related to a high level of migration of skilled and unskilled sewing workers to Russia. Russian companies offer better working conditions for employees, including wages and benefits. Young people prefer to go abroad to earn money to buy homes in Kyrgyzstan. The average age of workers in the sewing industry is 35-40 years. Women in the garment industry mainly came to Bishkek from the regions and have problems with housing, access to healthcare and education services. According to the Association of Light Industry Enterprises, there are over one thousand vacancies in the...
ASTANA (TCA) — Heads of more than 30 largest Chinese companies — members of the Union of Textile Industry of the People's Republic of China — visited Astana for the first time to study investment opportunities of Kazakhstan. The meeting with the Kazakh side, held last week, was organized with the support of Kazakh Invest National Company, the official website of the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan reported. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — On June 28, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a business forum to create a networking platform for Kyrgyzstani garment manufacturers and foreign brands and buyers. The “Technologies, Investments and Opportunities for the Textile and Garment Industry of Kyrgyzstan” forum brought together over 20 European and Russian brands and fashion retailers, international apparel equipment manufacturers, and software developers with Kyrgyzstani apparel firms and factories. An exhibition of the latest garment technologies and business-to-business meetings for buyers, investors, and Kyrgyzstani apparel manufacturers took place during the forum, the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan reported. Continue reading
BISHKEK (TCA) — Over the last year, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) facilitated more than $6 million in exports for local Kyrgyz businesses in the garment industry and agricultural sectors, the US Embassy in Kyrgyzstan said on March 1. Continue reading
TASHKENT (TCA) — A number of important agreements aimed at expanding economic and trade cooperation have been reached before and during the ongoing state visit of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to the Republic of Korea, the Jahon information agency reports. The Ministry for Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy of the Republic of Korea discussed the possibility of establishing a free trade zone and reached agreement on the need to ensure preferential access to the markets of the two countries. In this regard, heads of the ministries adopted a decision on holding the first meeting of the joint working group until the end of this year. The meeting is set to contribute to the preparation of a bilateral Agreement on preferential trade between Uzbekistan and the Republic of Korea. The Export-Import Bank Korea Eximbank and the National Bank of Uzbekistan have signed a loan agreement worth $150 million. The agreement is expected to provide a credit line for financing small business and investment projects involving the acquisition of equipment, goods and services of Korean production. The credit line is set to cover projects in the areas of agriculture, food industry, medicine, production of construction materials, and automotive industry. Before the president’s visit to South Korea, on November 16-18, a delegation of Uzbekengilsanoat light-industry JSC held a number of meetings and negotiations in Seoul. Following meetings with heads of large Korean trading companies Posco Daewoo, Color of Paradise, Solsang International Corp, RATEL E&T co., Ltd, Korea Factory and trading networks Lotte Mart, the parties reached agreements (contracts and protocols of intentions) to export $70 million worth of textile products from Uzbekistan to Korea in 2017-2018. The Agency for development of the pharmaceutical industry under the Ministry of Health of Uzbekistan has reached an agreement on organization of production of highly effective Korean medicines in Uzbekistan. The Korean side will invest $25 million in direct investments. Agreements were reached with such leading Korean companies as Dalim BioTech, Yuhan Corporation and Erae. Special attention was paid to the organization of 7 new pharmaceutical free economic zones in Uzbekistan.
