Hello. UzA’s virtual anchor will provide details of important events last week.

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The President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, paid an official visit to Malaysia on February 3-5 at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim. Shavkat Mirziyoyev and Anwar Ibrahim signed a Joint Statement on Deepening Bilateral Cooperation Toward Strategic Partnership. 

Additionally, the following agreements were adopted:

– Cooperation Agreement in Halal Product Compliance Assessment; 

– Cooperation Agreement on Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters; 

– Cooperation Agreement in Higher Education;

– Cooperation Agreement in Healthcare;

– Cooperation Agreement in Culture;

– Cooperation Agreement in Forensic Expertise;

– Agreement on Academic and Diplomatic Cooperation;

– Protocol on Cooperation in the Development of Smart Cities;

– Joint Plan for Strengthening Partnership in Combating Corruption for 2025-2026.

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In Uzbekistan, the poverty rate decreased to 8.9 percent in 2024. The assessment was carried out in cooperation with the World Bank and was based on an international calculation methodology. According to this methodology, household budgets across the entire country were studied throughout the year.

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The construction of the toll roads Tashkent – Andijan and Tashkent – Samarkand will begin in 2025. The Tashkent – Andijan alternative road was designed with the participation of the World Bank. The 314-kilometer high-speed highway is expected to reduce travel time between the two cities from five hours to three hours, decrease the number of road traffic accidents by 40 percent, and increase the gross domestic product by 2.6 percent. 

Additionally, constructing a 300-kilometer, six-lane toll road between Tashkent and Samarkand is planned for 2025. The initial cost of the Tashkent – Samarkand road is estimated at $2.2 billion.

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The Uzbekistan delegation is participating in the Asian Winter Games with the largest team in its history. At the competitions held in Harbin, China, on February 7-14, twenty-four athletes from Uzbekistan are competing in six sports.

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Drone production will be established in Uzbekistan. In cooperation with Malaysia’s Meraque company, an agreement was signed to localize the production of smart agricultural machinery and drones on the premises of the Scientific Research Institute of Agricultural Mechanization in Yangiyul district of Tashkent region.

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This is the news we wanted to share today. Continue to follow the Uzbekistan National News Agency.