On November 2, 2023, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev of Uzbekistan and President Emmanuel Macron of France agreed to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership. The announcement was made at summit talks in Samarkand.
To date, the portfolio of active and promising investment projects between France and Uzbekistan has exceeded 10 billion euros. A 1 billion euro Strategic Cooperation Program is being implemented with the French Development Agency. Such French business leaders as Orano, EDF, Total, SUEZ, Eiffel, Voltalia, Lactalis, Veolia and many others are operating in Uzbekistan’s market.
The two leaders discussed measures to promote new major projects in the fields of green energy, extraction and processing of raw materials, innovative agriculture, water supply, logistics, infrastructure development, tourism, and others.
France assured Uzbekistan of further support for efforts to join the WTO and in signing an Agreement on expanded partnership and cooperation with the European Union as soon as possible.
President Mirziyoyev identified the extractive industry, processing of strategic raw materials, construction of hybrid, solar, and wind power plants, modernization of water supply systems, introduction of smart agriculture, development of urban and transport infrastructure, and tourism as priority sectors for cooperation.
To promote the business partnership, the two sides announced the launch of the Uzbek-French Chamber of Commerce and the planned opening of the office of the agency “Business France” in Tashkent.
Uzbek-French Business Forum
President Mirziyoyev and President Macron also took part in the Uzbek-French business forum, where Mirziyoyev stressed that the volume of mutual trade has tripled since the beginning of the year, and the number of joint ventures has increased fourfold in recent years.
Mirziyoyev pointed out four priority areas and came up with a number of initiatives to expand the Uzbek-French partnership:
- Green energy: Major projects with EDF, Voltalia, and Total Energies are already underway.
- Deep processing of strategic raw materials and production of industrial products based on advanced technologies: There are already plans to expand the partnership with Orano companies in this direction.
- Efficient use of water resources and the creation of modern infrastructure: A lot of work is being done with the companies SUEZ, Eiffel, and Veolia to modernize the water supply systems and heating networks of the country.
- Increasing competitiveness in agriculture and ensuring food security.
Following the business forum, a package of deals was signed in the field of energy, metallurgy, water supply, agriculture, transport, and other important areas.
The forum brought together representatives of major companies and banks – EDF, Voltalia, Total Energies, Orano, Eiffel, Veolia, SUEZ, Lactalis, Semai, Semmaris, Alstom, Airbus Helicopters, ATR, Vicat, Mobilitas, Boehringer Ingelheim, Thales, Aramine, Meridiame, Societe Generale, Natixis and others.
Signed Documents
Following the talks in Samarkand, President Mirziyoyev and President Macron adopted a joint statement announcing their intention to raise relations to the level of strategic partnership.
The following bilateral documents were also signed in the presence of the two presidents:
- Intergovernmental agreement on the establishment and activities of the “Samarkand French Alliance”;
- Intergovernmental Financial Protocols on improving the drinking water supply infrastructure of Uzbekistan (Phases 1 and 2);
- Protocol on amendments and additions to the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Establishment and Activities of the French Development Agency and PROPARCO in Uzbekistan;
- Declaration between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs on cooperation in the field of diplomatic training;
- Protocol on cooperation in the field of preschool, school, vocational and higher education;
- Declaration on Cooperation in the field of Cultural Heritage;
- Agreement on cooperation in the field of vocational and technical education.
In addition, declarations on cooperation were signed between the Fund for the Development of Culture and Art of Uzbekistan and the companies Suez and Bouygues.///nCa, 3 November 2023