Russia, Uzbekistan Collaborate on Blockchain Adoption

[Magician]

Russia and Uzbekistan are working together at the national level to implement blockchain solutions for various use cases. Also, the municipality of Tashkent will adopt blockchain services provided by two Russian companies.

IPChain to Provide Blockchain for Copyright Protection

The Russian National Intellectual Property Transactions Coordination Center (IPChain) and the municipal authorities of Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan, signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to collaborate on copyright protection by leveraging blockchain technology, local media agency TASS reported last week. The partnership aims to ensure the protection of intellectual property rights and secure patent records with the help of distributed ledger technology (DLT).

Jasur Zahidov, head of innovation department of the Tashkent municipality, commented:

“We hope that the cooperation with IPChain will give an impetus to the development of the entire intellectual property sphere of Uzbekistan. Scientists, inventors and creators, as a rule, do not always clearly understand how to monetize their intellectual property. Now they will know that copyrights do work and can generate income.”

According to the agreement, Russian IT and blockchain-oriented companies and startups will have better access to Uzbekistan’s IP market, while Uzbek IP holders will benefit from improved protection both in the homeland and in Russia. The partnership aims to introduce IPChain solutions as DLT standards meant to protect patent records in Uzbekistan, the authorities of which want to rely on the technology to monetize IP rights.

The agreement comes shortly after Uzbekistan announced that it was open to developing a digital economy embracing blockchain technology and building cryptocurrency market conditions. In July of this year, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree approving methods and measures to create a digital economy around smart contracts, digital assets, and DLTs.

IPChain is a blockchain-oriented nonprofit established last year by the Skolkovo Foundation and the Russian Organization for Intellectual Property (VOIS). Other members of the organizations include the National Research University “Higher School of Economics,” Russian Union of Right-Holders, ITMO University, and Russian Authors’ Society among others.

Universa to Provide DLT Platform for Smart City Initiative

On Monday, Uzbek media agency Podrobno reported that Russian firm Universa would provide its blockchain platform to the municipality of Tashkent to support the latter’s Smart City project.

The parties will collaborate to develop an urban infrastructure that would leverage blockchain and other innovative technologies.

A representative of the Tashkent municipality commented:

“The smart-platform that uses Universa’s blockchain technology will create in various areas of Tashkent’s life new types of relationships between people, city services and business sector. Blockchain will ensure the tracking of all city and regional service in real time. It will be easy to put various projects and initiatives to the vote, hold transparent tenders for any types of works and services, and optimize the work of housing and communal services.”

Last week, Tashkent hosted the First Forum of Interregional Cooperation between Russia and Uzbekistan, which was joined by the heads of both states. The forum touched upon a wide range of Russian-Uzbek cooperation in education, cultural partnership, the development of urban infrastructure, and the provision of public services. One of the key topics at the forum was the transition to a digital economy.

During the forum, Musa Chiliev, member of the Federation Council of the Russian Federation, stated:

“We need to explain to citizens the main advantages of a digital economy in simple and understandable terms. For example, digitalization of documents and the use of the distributed ledger technology/blockchain might be an effective weapon against the two most detrimental phenomena slowing progress - corruption and bureaucracy. Simplification and transparency of transactions and contracts, a controllable history of decisions taken at different levels, and effective planning — all of these can improve structural connections and increase mutual trust.”

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