Uzbek-French business cooperation on agenda
By Abdul Kerimkhanov
From the first years of independence, Uzbekistan declared cooperation with Europe as one of the priorities of its foreign policy.
During the visit of the French business community, the Uzbek-French Business Forum was held at the International Business Center.
The Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade of Uzbekistan together with the Franco-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry were organizers of the meeting.
The business forum was held with the participation of French Ambassador to Uzbekistan Violen de Vilmore and heads of relevant ministries and departments, national agencies and hokimiyat of the city of Tashkent.
The French delegation included representatives of 14 major companies, such as VRO, Russian Railways Logistics, Nawinia, Urus Advisory, Assystem, Leroy Merlin, Armo Group, Great Silk Way and others.
The purpose of organizing a business forum was to discuss potential cooperation and study project proposals in industries such as energy and nuclear energy, engineering services and civil engineering, logistics, transportation of construction materials, electrical products, cosmetics.
During the event, it was noted that a number of important agreements are in force between France and Uzbekistan, forming a legal platform for bilateral relations.
In particular, in accordance with the Agreement on Partnership and Cooperation between Uzbekistan and the EU, the most favored regime has been established in mutual trade between the countries, since 1996, the Convention on the avoidance of double taxation of income and prevention of tax evasion on income and capital has been in effect.
Since 2001, the Uzbek-French Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation has been active, the last meeting of which was held in July 2018.
The visit at the highest level of the Uzbek leadership in October 2018 raised the development of Uzbek-French relations to a new level, as the parties signed agreements on the implementation of projects totaling about $ 5 billion.
One of the projects in the electric power industry is the construction of a photopower plant in the Samarkand area with the French company Total EREN.
The initiative to abolish an entry visa for French citizens was a significant factor in attracting the flow of French tourists and potential investors, opening the territory of Central Asia as a potential market for the realization of proposals.
Within the framework of the forum, the sides held presentations where representatives of the company demonstrated their activities to the Uzbek side and outlined the areas in demand for the implementation of joint projects.
For the French delegation, study tours to the Navoi, Samarkand and Bukhara regions were also organized, where meetings with the leadership of the local administration and visits to the free economic zones, new industrial facilities and housing complexes and NMMC will be held.
Diplomatic relations between Uzbekistan and France were established on March 1, 1992.
The trade turnover between the two countries was $164.1 million. French export totaled to $98.2 million, the rest accounted for Uzbekistan.
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Abdul Kerimkhanov is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow him on Twitter: @AbdulKerim94
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