ASTANA – President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and French President Emmanuel Macron adopted a joint declaration to strengthen their strategic partnership at a joint media briefing on Nov. 5 in Paris, reported Akorda.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Emmanuel Macron at a joint media briefing. Photo credit: Akorda
Tokayev highlighted the progress in trade and economic development, noting that the $4.2 billion trade volume reached last year was achieved in just the first nine months of 2024. He identified France as the sixth largest investor in Kazakhstan, with French giants such as Alstom, Total Energies, Air Liquide, Orano, Vicat, Danone, and Lactalis investing nearly $19.5 billion in sectors including oil and gas, mining, industrial, construction, aviation, mechanical engineering and healthcare sectors.
Tokayev emphasized the shared focus on green energy, rare earth materials, climate, water management, innovation and artificial intelligence, citing the recent opening of the French Development Agency office in Astana.
Expanding on logistics and infrastructure cooperation, Tokayev announced plans for new projects in agriculture, healthcare, finance and tourism. He underscored that cultural ties are the “golden bonds” between the nations and outlined plans for collaborative projects in education, science, archaeology and sports.
In the field of education, Tokayev mentioned the upcoming opening of a branch of the University of Lorraine at the Abai Kazakh National Pedagogical University and the establishment of the Lumiere Kazakh-French University Center, along with French schools in Astana and Almaty.
Tokayev also discussed the importance of a diplomatic approach to global challenges, unveiling joint plans for the upcoming One Water Summit to address climate issues.
Macron stated that France and Kazakhstan share similar views on key regional and international issues, grounded in compliance with the UN Charter, respect for territorial integrity, and protection of human rights. He stressed the importance of joint efforts to combat global challenges such as climate change and terrorism.
The Presidents signed several key agreements, including a readmission agreement, a strategic partnership roadmap on critical resources and materials, a partnership agreement on strategic cooperation between the Samruk Kazyna Sovereign Wealth Fund and Société Generale S.A., an agreement on strategic cooperation on 6-axle electric locomotives, and a protocol agreement on archaeological cooperation.
