VEON Backs Uzbekistan Bid to Become Central Asia IT Hub
Global telecommunications group to support Digital Uzbekistan 2030 programme with best-in-class connectivity and digital services, education and job opportunities, and an international hub for VEON’s IT and digital teams in the newly opened IT-Park in Uzbekistan
Amsterdam, 30 August 2022: VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON, Euronext Amsterdam: VEON), a global digital operator that provides converged connectivity and services, today announces its commitment to support Uzbekistan’s plan to become a major IT hub in Central Asia through best-in-class connectivity and digital services, education, upskilling, and new job opportunities. VEON plans to house an international operations hub in the newly opened IT-Park in Tashkent for its IT and digital teams and provide international promotion for country’s digital transformation ambition as part of the Government’s Digital Uzbekistan 2030 programme.
The announcement was made at a meeting between the Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov and the CEO of the VEON Group, Kaan Terzioglu, at the opening of the country’s prestigious IT Park that will house Uzbekistan's leading telecoms and IT companies, including Beeline Uzbekistan, VEON’s digital operator in the country.
“The Digital Uzbekistan 2030 programme is an ambitious and well-planned strategy to build national prosperity through IT expertise and form an IT hub in Central Asia. We are proud to be able to support this initiative and to work as a partner with the government of Uzbekistan, promoting the country’s vision on the global IT arena,” states Kaan Terzioglu, CEO of VEON Group. “Telecoms operators are uniquely positioned to be key partners for governments in accomplishing digital transformations. VEON has significant digital capabilities which we are proud to bring to Uzbekistan. Our investment is based on the enormous human potential of the country, its digital focus, and the exemplary attitude of the Government in its plans for long-term sustainable growth.”
VEON’s initiative will include the sharing of digital capabilities, the launch of new digital services in Uzbekistan and the expansion of access to digital services through 4G networks, including, the provision of 4G mobile Internet connectivity for the new high-speed Afrosiab trains on the Tashkent-Samarkand route.
VEON will also expand its commitment to digital education and upskilling in Uzbekistan. Already a supporter of tertiary education in IT and data skills at the Astrum Academy, VEON will now provide digital education materials through its SINAPS platform that was recently launched in a test mode. Being committed to creating job opportunities, VEON has also recently expanded its BeeLab software development team in Uzbekistan from 15 to 100 staff and plans to open a Beeline IT Academy in Uzbekistan to provide its own digital education hub across areas including cybersecurity. VEON previously announced in May 2022 that it would invest $250 million over the next five years to the develop the communications infrastructure and ecosystem of digital services in Uzbekistan.
About VEON
VEON is a digital operator that provides converged connectivity and digital services to over 200 million customers. Operating across seven countries that are home to more than 8% of the world’s population, VEON is transforming lives through technology-driven services that empower individuals and drive economic growth. Headquartered in Amsterdam, VEON is listed on NASDAQ and Euronext.
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About Beeline Uzbekistan
Beeline Uzbekistan is the biggest mobile operator in the country and was the first to launch a 4G network in 2014. The company has made large investments in telecommunications infrastructure in recent years, including the roll-out of more than 3000 base stations.
Beeline Uzbekistan is a part of VEON Group. The operator has more than 8 million subscribers and over 1,600 employees. Since entering the Uzbekistan market in 2006, VEON has invested more than $1.2 billion in the country's telecommunications industry.
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Disclaimer
This release contains “forward-looking statements,” as the phrase is defined in Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements are not historical facts, and include statements relating to, among other things, VEON’s commercial partnerships and digital transformation plans in Uzbekistan. Forward-looking statements are inherently subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which VEON cannot predict with accuracy and some of which VEON might not even anticipate. The forward-looking statements contained in this release speak only as of the date of this release. VEON does not undertake to publicly update, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws, any forward-looking statement to reflect events or circumstances after such dates or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.
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