Uzbekistan intends to sharply increase copper extraction, processing volumes

TASHKENT. Nov 16 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan intends to sharply increase the copper extraction and processing volumes, is creating a copper cluster and is going to produce electromobiles.

Some 150,000 tonnes of copper is extracted in Uzbekistan, of which only 70,000 tonnes is processed, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev said at the first plenary session of the Uzbek presidential Foreign Investors Council on Wednesday.

"In the coming months, we will bring copper production volumes to 500,000 tonnes. In this regard, we have started creating a copper cluster," he said.

The president said implementation of projects to produce copper foil, electric engines, solar panels, cable and semiconductor products, and other commodities with a high added value has begun on the territory of this cluster.

He also said Uzbekistan intends to found an electromobile production sector and has invited investors to start practical cooperation in these directions.

In general, Uzbekistan is committed to reducing the share of the state in the economy and to deepening privatization, he said.

"A total of 1,200 state enterprises were privatized in Uzbekistan in the past few years. Next year, we intend to privatize about 1,000 more enterprises and real estate objects," Mirziyoyev said.