A direct flight between Kuwait and Uzbekistan by Uzbekistan Airways will be launched next June. "This flight should simplify travel between the two countries. The tourism and business between the two countries will also be boosted thanks to this direct flight," said Dr. Abdurafik Hashimov, the Ambassador of Uzbekistan to Kuwait. The announcement was made yesterday during the meeting held at the embassy’s premises.

A book about the economic crisis was issued in Uzbekistan two months ago. "This book was written by President Islam Karimov and may be very useful in Kuwait as well. It was titled, ’The global financial-economic crisis, ways and measures to overcome it in Uzbekistan’. It consists of two parts: the first is the impact the global financial crisis has on Uzbekistan’s economy. Several factors have prevented and lessened the crisis’ consequences; the second is the support provided by the banking system. Modernization, technical renewal and diversification of production, broad introduction of innovative technologies are a reliable way of overcoming crisis. This is how Uzbekistan is part of new achievements in the world market," Hashimov pointed out.

The global financial-economic crisis, which broke out in 2008 and is now getting deeper and stronger according to the assessments made by many international experts. This has generated more questions than the answers about the reasons that lie behind and predictions about further development. The publication also provides a brief summary, about the origins about the global financial crisis itself," he added.

Kuwait is strengthening its relation with Uzbekistan by investing and providing more loans. "The Kuwait Development Fund has given out US$75 million as loans during the past five years. Also US$5 million were granted to build a new building for the Islamic University. In addition, HH the Amir granted one million dollars to build a mosque in Tashkent," said Hashimov.

The relations between both the two countries have strengthened since 2004. "HH the Amir of Kuwait visited Uzbekistan in July 2008, and during this visit nine treaties were signed. Around 18 such treaties have been signed since 2006, between the chambers of commerce and industry. Since then eight Kuwaiti ministers visited Uzbekistan and three Uzbek ministers have visited Kuwait," he stated.

Hashimov also elaborated the first quarter results of the nation’s development. "On 15 April 2009 the Cabinet of Ministers from the Republic of Uzbekistan held its session, according to the report by Uzbekistan National News Agency. During the session, discussion of the results of the first quarter in terms of accomplishing the most important priorities of the program for social and economic development of the country for 2009 were set by President Islam Karimov at a sitting of the Government of Uzbekistan on 13 February this year," he noted.

Also, participants from the session have pinpointed the measures towards accelerating the implementation of an anti-crisis program aimed at preventing and addressing the consequences of the global economic crisis on the nation’s economy. The enactment of the most important, purposeful development program allowed to create 2,086, 000 new jobs," he said.

Hashimov then spoke about the position of the Republic of Uzbekistan with regards to construction of the new hydropower facilities on the upstream of the Transboundary Rivers of Central Asia.