Uzbekistan to sell state assets

UZBEKISTAN’S government plans to sell off almost 500 state assets over the next two years in an ongoing drive to expand the private sector in this former Soviet nation.

Media cited Uzbek state property committee deputy chairman Saifitdlin Gafarov as saying assets in the oil, gas, energy, metals, agriculture, electronics and pharmaceutical sectors will be made available for purchase.

The Central Asian nation has pursued a strict policy of economic self-reliance since gaining independence in 1991 but has recently shown openness to international financial support. — Sapa-ap