Gulnara Karimova
Encyclopedia
Gulnara Islomovna Karimova (Russian
: Гульнара Исламовна Каримова) (born July 8, 1972, Fergana
) is an Uzbek businesswoman, fashion designer, singer and diplomat. She is the eldest daughter of the President of Uzbekistan
, Islam Karimov.
, and received a Doctoral degree in political science
from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy
in Tashkent
where she is holding the chair of professor of political science since 2009. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts
in telecommunications from Tashkent University of Informational Technologies, and has completed a course of jewellery design in New York
Fashion Institute of Technology
in 1992.
businessman of Afghan origin. They have two children, a son Islam, born in 1992 and a daughter Iman, born in 1998. When the marriage started to break in July 2001, Karimova took the two children and left the United States for Uzbekistan. An Uzbek judge granted her a divorce, while a New Jersey jurist granted one to Maqsudi. In return, Maqsudi faced arrest in Uzbekistan, and some of his relatives were arrested and thrown into prison, others were driven to the Uzbek-Afghan border and dumped on the other side, and Maqsudi had his business assets in Uzbekistan, particularly his interest in a joint-venture
with Coca-Cola
, stripped from him. According to the Guardian, Karimova kept $4.5 million worth of jewellery and business interests worth approximately $60 million, as part of her divorce settlement. On July 9, 2008, custody of the two children was fully given to Karimova, by a Consent Order signed by Judge Deanne M. Wilson (Superior Court of the State of New Jersey).
, allegations about his marriage with Karimova surfaced in local and international media. Safoyev, a career diplomat and a divorcee as of 2001 was suspected to have been picked by the President Islam Karimov as his possible replacement, hence the marriage with his daughter. However, the allegations were refuted and fact of marriage was denied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and BBC
which published the story was accused by then the First Deputy Minister Vladimir Norov
as an intrusion in personal lives of Safoyev and Karimova.
Karimova currently lives in Cologny
, Geneva
, Switzerland, where she bought a CHF
18.2 million house in January 2009.
in New York. From 2003 till 2005 she was minister-counselor at the Uzbek embassy in Moscow, and served as adviser to the minister of foreign affairs from 2005 to 2008. In February 2008 she was appointed deputy foreign minister for international cooperation in cultural and humanitarian affairs. In September of the same year she became Permanent Representative
of Uzbekistan to the United Nations and other international organization
s in Geneva. In January 2010, she was named Uzbek Ambassador in Spain
. She is a member of the Cercle Diplomatique de Genève.
, Uzbekistan's national mobile telephone
network, as well as the country's healthcare, and media sectors. However since June 2007 Uzdunrobita’s 100% stake belongs to Mobile Telesystems
OJSC (“MTS” - NYSE: MBT), the largest mobile phone operator
in Russia and the CIS. It is said that she has financial interests worth $600 million in retail, nightclubs, and tourism which is denied by Gulnora who attributes these belongings to her family members and friends In December 2009, the Swiss magazine "Bilanz" in its list of the richest people in Switzerland assessed Gulnora Karimova to be one of the ten richest women in the country.
In 2009, Brazilian football manager Luiz Felipe Scolari
was appointed at FC Bunyodkor
, a Tashkent footballteam set up in 2005 believed to be part of the business empire run by Karimova. Scolari reportedly was paid around £12 million per year, the highest pay for a football manager in the world, but left after less than a year. The club also signed the Brazilian Rivaldo
.
Karimova is also leading a social organisation called Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundation (the Fund Forum). It supports children with educational grants, and in June 2010 the Fund Forum and other foundations engaged in humanitarian aid to those affected by the events in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.
On December 24, 2010, the International Olympic Committee honored the Fund Forum with its annual “Sport – Inspiring Young People” Trophy for its activities in the area of sport, education and culture among the youth.
and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo
agreed to support Gulnara Karimova's new initiative launching 'Young footballers support program'. Both of the players evidently have signed Memorandums of cooperation with the Fund Forum.
magazine by editor Amy Davidson.
singing a song called “Unutma Meni” (Don't Forget Me) under the stage name “GooGoosha”, apparently her father′s nickname for her. According to commentators, the video was part of a campaign to promote her popularity in Uzbekistan. She also performed in a later music video, singing a duet of “Besame Mucho” with Julio Iglesias
.
. Reportedly her royalty for design from sales of the collection will go to 'Yangi Avlod' (New Generation) Children Festival development.
In September 2010, Karimova presented her fashion line “Guli” featuring Uzbek fabrics and designs based on the traditional Uzbek long coat at New York′s Fashion Week
.
In September 2011, Karimova′s planned spring 2012 fashion show at New York’s Fashion Week was first rumored to cancel after Human Rights Watch
and other organizations had drawn attention to her connection to her father’s government and its record on torture, and child and forced labour. According to Human Rights Watch, up to two million Uzbek children are forced to leave school each year for two months to pick cotton – a fabric woven throughout Karimova’s designs.
On September 14 IMG and GULI CReative team issued a joint communique declaring the relocation of the show due to "the security concerns" to another location and that the show would still go in the frames of the Fashion Week, and the show was listed in the main Fashion Week Calendar
Many companies, including Gap
, H&M
and Walmart have reported to stop buying Uzbek cotton. But it was never officially confirmed by the mentioned Companies.
Karimova acquired interests in the crude oil contracts of Zeromax in "a deal with [a] local mafia boss", the embassy said. She also got hold of shares in the Coca-Cola bottling franchise after it was subjected to a tax investigation, they claimed.
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
: Гульнара Исламовна Каримова) (born July 8, 1972, Fergana
Fergana
Fergana is a city , the capital of Fergana Province in eastern Uzbekistan, at the southern edge of the Fergana Valley in southern Central Asia, cutting across the borders of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan...
) is an Uzbek businesswoman, fashion designer, singer and diplomat. She is the eldest daughter of the President of Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
, Islam Karimov.
Education
Karimova graduated from Tashkent State University in 1996, majoring in economics. She then earned a Master of Arts in regional studies at Harvard UniversityHarvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, and received a Doctoral degree in political science
Political science
Political Science is a social science discipline concerned with the study of the state, government and politics. Aristotle defined it as the study of the state. It deals extensively with the theory and practice of politics, and the analysis of political systems and political behavior...
from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy
University of World Economy and Diplomacy
The University of World Economy and Diplomacy is located in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. It was founded in 1992 by the decree of the President Karimov to train future leaders of the country....
in Tashkent
Tashkent
Tashkent is the capital of Uzbekistan and of the Tashkent Province. The officially registered population of the city in 2008 was about 2.2 million. Unofficial sources estimate the actual population may be as much as 4.45 million.-Early Islamic History:...
where she is holding the chair of professor of political science since 2009. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in telecommunications from Tashkent University of Informational Technologies, and has completed a course of jewellery design in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
in 1992.
Marriage and divorce
In 1991, Karimova married Mansur Maqsudi, an AmericanUnited States nationality law
Article I, section 8, clause 4 of the United States Constitution expressly gives the United States Congress the power to establish a uniform rule of naturalization. The Immigration and Naturalization Act sets forth the legal requirements for the acquisition of, and divestiture from, citizenship of...
businessman of Afghan origin. They have two children, a son Islam, born in 1992 and a daughter Iman, born in 1998. When the marriage started to break in July 2001, Karimova took the two children and left the United States for Uzbekistan. An Uzbek judge granted her a divorce, while a New Jersey jurist granted one to Maqsudi. In return, Maqsudi faced arrest in Uzbekistan, and some of his relatives were arrested and thrown into prison, others were driven to the Uzbek-Afghan border and dumped on the other side, and Maqsudi had his business assets in Uzbekistan, particularly his interest in a joint-venture
Joint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola
Coca-Cola is a carbonated soft drink sold in stores, restaurants, and vending machines in more than 200 countries. It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company of Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke...
, stripped from him. According to the Guardian, Karimova kept $4.5 million worth of jewellery and business interests worth approximately $60 million, as part of her divorce settlement. On July 9, 2008, custody of the two children was fully given to Karimova, by a Consent Order signed by Judge Deanne M. Wilson (Superior Court of the State of New Jersey).
Allegations of marriage with Sodiq Safoyev
In 2003, when Sodiq Safoyev was the Minister of Foreign Affairs of UzbekistanMinistry of Foreign Affairs (Uzbekistan)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan is a Cabinet-level governmental agency in Uzbekistan in charge of conducting and designing the foreign policy of Uzbekistan.-History and functions:...
, allegations about his marriage with Karimova surfaced in local and international media. Safoyev, a career diplomat and a divorcee as of 2001 was suspected to have been picked by the President Islam Karimov as his possible replacement, hence the marriage with his daughter. However, the allegations were refuted and fact of marriage was denied by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
which published the story was accused by then the First Deputy Minister Vladimir Norov
Vladimir Norov
Vladimir Imamovich Norov is the current Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan. He was appointed to this position on July 12, 2006.-Early years:...
as an intrusion in personal lives of Safoyev and Karimova.
Karimova currently lives in Cologny
Cologny
Cologny is a municipality in the Canton of Geneva, Switzerland.-Geography:Cologny has an area, , of . Of this area, or 17.7% is used for agricultural purposes, while or 4.1% is forested...
, Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, Switzerland, where she bought a CHF
Swiss franc
The franc is the currency and legal tender of Switzerland and Liechtenstein; it is also legal tender in the Italian exclave Campione d'Italia. Although not formally legal tender in the German exclave Büsingen , it is in wide daily use there...
18.2 million house in January 2009.
Political and diplomatic activities
In 1998 and from 2000 to 2003 Karimova served as counselor at Uzbekistan’s Mission to the United NationsUnited Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
in New York. From 2003 till 2005 she was minister-counselor at the Uzbek embassy in Moscow, and served as adviser to the minister of foreign affairs from 2005 to 2008. In February 2008 she was appointed deputy foreign minister for international cooperation in cultural and humanitarian affairs. In September of the same year she became Permanent Representative
Permanent Representative
A Permanent Representative is the head of a diplomatic mission to one of various international organisations. The best known of the organisations to which states send Permanent Representatives is the United Nations; of these, the most high-profile ones are those assigned to headquarters in New...
of Uzbekistan to the United Nations and other international organization
International organization
An intergovernmental organization, sometimes rendered as an international governmental organization and both abbreviated as IGO, is an organization composed primarily of sovereign states , or of other intergovernmental organizations...
s in Geneva. In January 2010, she was named Uzbek Ambassador in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. She is a member of the Cercle Diplomatique de Genève.
Business Interests
According to US diplomats in Uzbekistan, Karimova "bullied her way into gaining a slice of virtually every lucrative business" in the country and is viewed as a "robber baron". Granted diplomatic status by her father, Gulnara lives much of the time in Geneva, where her holding company, Zeromax, is registered. Gulnara denies claims that she owns Zeromax. And no evidence is still available to confirm that she actually owned that Company or had any connection to it. Karimova was claimed to control UzdunrobitaUzdunrobita
Uzdunrobita is the largest mobile phone operator in Uzbekistan.Uzdunrobita was founded on August 19, 1991, as a joint venture between a group of American investors, the International Communications Group, with a 45% stake; and the government of what was then the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic,...
, Uzbekistan's national mobile telephone
Mobile phone
A mobile phone is a device which can make and receive telephone calls over a radio link whilst moving around a wide geographic area. It does so by connecting to a cellular network provided by a mobile network operator...
network, as well as the country's healthcare, and media sectors. However since June 2007 Uzdunrobita’s 100% stake belongs to Mobile Telesystems
Mobile TeleSystems
MTS is the largest mobile operator in Russia and CIS with over 102,4 million subscribers as of 31 December 2009.Having started in the Moscow license zone in 1994, МТS in 1997 received licenses for further areas and began expansion, later entering other countries of the CIS...
OJSC (“MTS” - NYSE: MBT), the largest mobile phone operator
Mobile network operator
A mobile network operator , also known as mobile phone operator , carrier service provider , wireless service provider, wireless carrier, or cellular company, or mobile network carrier is a telephone company that provides services for mobile phone subscribers.One essential...
in Russia and the CIS. It is said that she has financial interests worth $600 million in retail, nightclubs, and tourism which is denied by Gulnora who attributes these belongings to her family members and friends In December 2009, the Swiss magazine "Bilanz" in its list of the richest people in Switzerland assessed Gulnora Karimova to be one of the ten richest women in the country.
In 2009, Brazilian football manager Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari
Luiz Felipe Scolari , ComIH , also known as Felipão in Brazil and Phil Scolari in the United Kingdom, is a World Cup-winning Brazilian football manager. He is currently the manager of Palmeiras. He served as the manager of the Portuguese national team from July 12, 2003 to June 30, 2008...
was appointed at FC Bunyodkor
FC Bunyodkor
FC Bunyodkor is an Uzbek football club based in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.The club finished second in the 2007 Uzbek League season and made the semi-finals of the 2008 AFC Champions League...
, a Tashkent footballteam set up in 2005 believed to be part of the business empire run by Karimova. Scolari reportedly was paid around £12 million per year, the highest pay for a football manager in the world, but left after less than a year. The club also signed the Brazilian Rivaldo
Rivaldo
Rivaldo Vítor Borba Ferreira , commonly known simply as Rivaldo , is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays for São Paulo, on loan from Mogi Mirim, as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a supporting striker.He most notably played five years with Spanish club FC Barcelona, with whom he...
.
Promoting Uzbekistan in politics
Karimova formed and established a think tank in Central Asia - the Center for Political Studies with partnership from more than 25 institutions worldwide.Charity and Social initiatives
Under Karimova's supervision five NGO have been established in the country. In 2009, two of the Foundations, Social Initiatives Support Fund (SISF) and Women's Council Public Association, organized a conference on "Medical aspects and role of Public Organizations in breast cancer problems solutions". Starting from 2006 through the SISF Karimova apparently implements a scheme of micro-credits for women farmers in rural areas of Uzbekistan.Karimova is also leading a social organisation called Forum of Culture and Arts of Uzbekistan Foundation (the Fund Forum). It supports children with educational grants, and in June 2010 the Fund Forum and other foundations engaged in humanitarian aid to those affected by the events in neighboring Kyrgyzstan.
On December 24, 2010, the International Olympic Committee honored the Fund Forum with its annual “Sport – Inspiring Young People” Trophy for its activities in the area of sport, education and culture among the youth.
Young generation support
Yangi Avlod Festival supports children in fine arts disciplines. Also in 2009 the news have spread internationally that two of the worlds' most famous football strikers Cameroonian Samuel Eto'oSamuel Eto'o
Samuel Eto'o Fils is a Cameroonian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala. He is also the current captain of the Cameroon national team.Eto'o trained at Kadji Sports Academy...
and Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo dos Santos Aveiro, OIH, , commonly known as Cristiano Ronaldo, is a Portuguese footballer who plays as a winger or striker for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and is the captain of the Portuguese national team...
agreed to support Gulnara Karimova's new initiative launching 'Young footballers support program'. Both of the players evidently have signed Memorandums of cooperation with the Fund Forum.
Sting Concert
Sting performed in Uzbekistan in 2009, giving his concert as part of the annual Art Week Style.Uz project initiated in 2006 by Karimova. Earlier, he had participated in an Yangi Avlod-arranged event Festival. After his concert, several commentators accused him of hypocrisy for playing in that country and supporting Karimova. The singer justified his action in an October 2010 interview, saying that there is no cultural embargo on Uzbekistan and "... If this should happen, Uzbek community would become more paranoid, more aggressive towards us (i.e. western people). Arts , journalism, enterprises, circulation of ideas – and I personally believe in the power of music – are all matters that do well/are helpful to totalitarian regimes. Regarding Karimova, she is much more sensitive to culture. So why not? Let’s keep the doors open." In addition to this, the role of British diplomacy in general and this matter are discussed in an article by Eurasianet.org, and Sting's quote was discussed in The New YorkerThe New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
magazine by editor Amy Davidson.
Music
In 2006, Karimova released her first music videoMusic video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
singing a song called “Unutma Meni” (Don't Forget Me) under the stage name “GooGoosha”, apparently her father′s nickname for her. According to commentators, the video was part of a campaign to promote her popularity in Uzbekistan. She also performed in a later music video, singing a duet of “Besame Mucho” with Julio Iglesias
Julio Iglesias
Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva , better known simply as Julio Iglesias, is a Spanish singer who has sold over 300 million records worldwide in 14 languages and released 77 albums. According to Sony Music Entertainment, he is one of the top 15 best selling music artists in history,...
.
Fashion and jewelry design
In March 2009 Karimova presented her own special jewelry collection “GULI for Chopard” designed for renowned Swiss company ChopardChopard
Chopard is a Swiss based luxury watch, jewelry, and accessories company founded in 1860 by Louis-Ulysse Chopard at the age of 24. Chopard initially concentrated on developing precise pocket watches and chronometers based upon innovative ideas...
. Reportedly her royalty for design from sales of the collection will go to 'Yangi Avlod' (New Generation) Children Festival development.
In September 2010, Karimova presented her fashion line “Guli” featuring Uzbek fabrics and designs based on the traditional Uzbek long coat at New York′s Fashion Week
Fashion Week
A fashion week is a fashion industry event, lasting approximately one week, which allows fashion designers, brands or "houses" to display their latest collections in runway shows and buyers and the media to take a look at the latest trends. Most importantly, these events let the industry know...
.
In September 2011, Karimova′s planned spring 2012 fashion show at New York’s Fashion Week was first rumored to cancel after Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
and other organizations had drawn attention to her connection to her father’s government and its record on torture, and child and forced labour. According to Human Rights Watch, up to two million Uzbek children are forced to leave school each year for two months to pick cotton – a fabric woven throughout Karimova’s designs.
On September 14 IMG and GULI CReative team issued a joint communique declaring the relocation of the show due to "the security concerns" to another location and that the show would still go in the frames of the Fashion Week, and the show was listed in the main Fashion Week Calendar
Many companies, including Gap
Gap
-General:* Gap , a spacing between large trees in a forest* Gap , a mountain pass, often carved by a river* Gap year, a prolonged period between a life stage-Places:* Gap, Hautes-Alpes, France* Gap, Pennsylvania, United States...
, H&M
H&M
H & M Hennes & Mauritz AB is a Swedish retail-clothing company, known for its fast-fashion clothing offerings for women, men, teenagers and children....
and Walmart have reported to stop buying Uzbek cotton. But it was never officially confirmed by the mentioned Companies.
WikiLeaks
Dispatches from the U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan, released in December 2010 on the Wikileaks website, describe the ex-Soviet republic as "a nightmarish world of rampant corruption, organised crime, forced labour in the cotton fields, and torture"; many of the dispatches focus on the behaviour of "Karimov's glamorous and highly controversial daughter Gulnara", who is bluntly described in the cables as "the single most hated person in the country".Karimova acquired interests in the crude oil contracts of Zeromax in "a deal with [a] local mafia boss", the embassy said. She also got hold of shares in the Coca-Cola bottling franchise after it was subjected to a tax investigation, they claimed.
External links
Official site Forbes Custom Portrait of Gulnara Karimova Micro credits for women in New Europe newspaper Hello! – Gulnara Karimova Harper’s Bazaar – Gulnara Karimova BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Music move for Karimov's daughter 'Princess of Uzbeks' cavorts in a cartoon wonderland- "The World's Worst Daughters" by Joshua Keating and James Downie in Foreign PolicyForeign PolicyForeign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
, August, 2009. Article that lists Gulnora Karimova among the five daughters of world leaders with the worst behavior. Fund Forum Official site Social Initiatives Support Fund Official site Women's Council Public Association Official site "UNAIDS, The Joint United Nations Programme for HIV/AIDS" by Ms. Tatiana Shoumilina - UNAIDS Country Coordinator UzbekistanUzbekistanUzbekistan , officially the Republic of Uzbekistan is a doubly landlocked country in Central Asia and one of the six independent Turkic states. It shares borders with Kazakhstan to the west and to the north, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to the east, and Afghanistan and Turkmenistan to the south....
. UNAIDS Uzbekistan HIV/AIDS programme which enlists the SISF as one of the main partners. Information about most influential woman in Central Asia by Israeli news outlet - the story about the impression Gulnara Karimova made on international and regional politicians during her visit to World Economic Forum in Jordan. Guardian: Secret US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks focus on the behaviour of Karimov's glamorous and highly controversial daughter Gulnara, who is bluntly described by them as "the single most hated person in the country".