_BIOGRAPHY He is a French politician and member of the Senate, representing the Eure department. He chairs the France-Central Asia Interparliamentary Friendship Group, focusing on fostering diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties between France and Central Asian countries, including Turkmenistan. Maurey advocates for international cooperation and development.

FRANCE IS COMMITTED TO STRENGTHENING TIES WITH TURKMENISTAN THROUGH ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL COOPERATION, SUPPORTING FRENCH BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN THE REGION IN 2024.

CAN YOU SHARE YOUR PERSPECTIVE ON THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF TURKMENISTAN, IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL COOPERATION WITH FRANCE?

In recent years, France's diplomatic engagement in Central Asia has intensified, especially in 2023, with the President of the French Republic's visit to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. France's relations with Turkmenistan are long-standing, marked by President François Mitterrand's visit in April 1994, which was solidified by an official visit the same year. The year 2024, marking the 20th anniversary of this visit, should be an opportunity to intensify our bilateral relationship with high-level visits.

The friendship group I lead wishes to contribute in this direction. Economically, France is the 11th supplier of goods to Turkmenistan's, after countries such as Turkey, Germany, and China. The volume of our trade remains quite modest, at around 38.3 million euros in 2021. Turkmenistan's accession to the World Trade Organization should help to boost trade and develop our partnerships.

The holding of a very promising Franco-Turkmen economic forum in Paris, in April this year, in the presence of several Turkmen ministers, seems to me to further testify to this desire to develop our economic partnerships. Franco-Turkmen cultural cooperation is quite dynamic, thanks to the active presence of the French Institute in Turkmenistan, a major player in our bilateral relationship.

France also conducts an archaeological mission and has been cooperating for about twenty years with the country's scientific institutions, notably for excavation campaigns and the restoration of the Ulug Depe archaeological monument.

WHAT ARE YOUR PRIORITIES FOR THIS YEAR IN TERMS OF STRENGTHENING TIES WITH TURKMENISTAN?

As President of the France-Central Asia Interparliamentary Friendship Group, our primary goal is to help strengthen our relations with Turkmenistan. We hope to visit Ashgabat this year, probably in the first half. I also think that this year, marking the 20th anniversary of President Mitterrand's visit to Turkmenistan, should be an opportunity to intensify our bilateral relationship by welcoming the Turkmen President to France.

In your opinion, what are the most promising opportunities for French companies in Turkmenistan, and how can the French government support these initiatives?

We already have many French companies present in Turkmenistan, particularly in the construction sector, which have been established there for several decades. This includes Bouygues Bâtiment International, a historic partner of the Turkmen state, and Vinci Construction Grands Projets (VCGP).

Our companies are also very active in the agricultural sector, notably the agricultural machinery manufacturer Claas, which became the main supplier for Turkmenistan in 2019. There are great opportunities for our companies with the development plan for the vast plains of the Karakum Desert, irrigated by the Amu Darya basin. Simultaneously, the development of a petrochemical industry or fertilizer production also opens up great prospects.

The current geopolitical context leads the countries of the region to diversify their partnerships and turn towards the countries of the European Union, particularly France. Economically, the fallout from this strategic rapprochement could be very positive. Our friendship group will always support any initiative in this direction.