HOW DO YOU CONSIDER THE POTENTIAL OF BILATERAL RELATIONS BETWEEN FRANCE AND UZBEKISTAN TODAY?

 

France has always played a significant role in the world. It had a tremendous impact on the development of human civilization and was at the origin of modern European integration. These are among many reasons why Uzbekistan, following its independence, sought to establish and develop multifaceted cooperation with France. Under the leadership of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, our country has undergone full-scale reforms.

 

Recently, we have adopted the Strategy for the Development of New Uzbekistan for 2022-2026. The strategy envisages attracting U$120 billion in investments in the next five years, including foreign investments of U$70 billion with a focus on power, transportation, healthcare, education, green economy, utilities, and water management. French enterprises have expertise in these sectors, for instance, we have Total Eren which is involved in the development of solar energy in Uzbekistan; AFD in the green economy and urban planning; Orano in mining. We are negotiating with Suez and Eiffage to reconstruct and modernize water and sewage in several cities of Uzbekistan, with Rungis Semmaris to create a modern agrologistical complex that meets all international standards, and with a consortium of French companies to build an all-season mountain resort. I believe that Uzbekistan and France have the conditions to realize the potential of bilateral economic, investment, scientific and technological, cultural, and humanitarian cooperation. And we are on the right track.

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CAN YOU PLEASE HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE EMBASSY’S INITIATIVES AND YOUR PRIORITIES FOR 2022/23?

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Our priorities have been set by our President in October 2018, during his visit to France, which is to fully contribute to bringing bilateral relations to a new level. For the last four years, the Embassy initiated several significant projects in four key directions of our cooperation with France.

 

Regularly, we initiate and engage in political consultations between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs. The last one took place in September 2022, in Tashkent. Together with MEDEF, we frequently organize business missions that help French companies to familiarize themselves with ongoing reforms and discover business opportunities. In July 2022, we hosted more than 30 eminent French companies in Uzbekistan. In the field of education, more than 30 agreements and MOUs have been signed in such areas as tourism, archeology, design, and fashion, French philology, aviation, inclusive education, business management, energy, political science, aviation, etc.

 

The culmination of our joint efforts is the organization of a historical exhibition in the most famous museum in the world - the Louvre entitled Treasures of the Oases of Uzbekistan. At the Crossroads of Caravan Routes, to be held from November 23, 2022, to March 6, 2023. For the coming year, we are planning to convey all our efforts to fulfill the objectives of the abovementioned Strategy of New Uzbekistan, especially in the attraction of the French FDI and savoir-faire.

 

WHAT WOULD BE YOUR MESSAGE TO FRENCH AND EUROPEAN INVESTORS?

 

Next year promises to be a busy year for reforms in Uzbekistan and for strengthening bilateral relations with France. The historical visit of the President of Uzbekistan to Paris on November 21-22, 2022 will once again demonstrate a strong political will to strengthen further our bilateral relations which, undoubtedly, increase the confidence of French companies in Uzbekistan.

 

I am also sure that our cooperation in such areas as telecommunications technologies, transport infrastructure, energy, aeronautics, and water use will actively develop, ensuring the transfer of technology, knowledge, and significant financial flows to Uzbekistan for their development and improvement. The role of financial institutions such as Bpifrance and AFD is crucial for French enterprises to provide a competitive technical and financial proposal adapted to the needs of Uzbekistan.

 

We are witnessing unprecedented growth in Uzbek-French relations. Today the number of companies with French capital has reached 46 in Uzbekistan, including 29 joint ventures and 17 companies with 100% French ownership. Therefore, I call upon the French business community to join their pioneers in exploring and investing in Uzbekistan. In turn, we promise to create all necessary conditions to allow your businesses not only to prosper in Uzbekistan but have an access to the Central Asian market and other neighboring markets.