ASTANA – Kazakhstan and France are expanding the scope of their bilateral relations beyond traditional trade to a strategic partnership, deepening cooperation each year through official visits, said Alisher Abdreshev, a leading expert at the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies (KazISS), as President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev is set to pay a visit to France on Nov. 4-5.
Kassym-Jomart Tokayev with France Emmanuel Macron. Photo credit: Akorda
In a comment to the Kazinform news agency, Abdreshev shared his expectations for the upcoming state visit. He emphasized the evolving nature of Kazakh-French relations and anticipated progress in multiple areas.
France – Kazakhstan’s key trade and investment partner in the EU
France is one of Kazakhstan’s strategic, trade, economic, and political partners, with Kazakhstan representing 90% of France’s trade with Central Asia.
According to Abdreshev, the dialog between Astana and Paris has become wider in recent years, elevating a strategic partnership.
“The leaders of the two countries certainly have a lot to discuss. France is among Kazakhstan’s key political and economic partners in the European region. In addition to issues on the bilateral agenda, it is also important to ‘synchronize the clock’ on topical aspects of the international and regional agenda. Thus, Kazakhstan remains determined to maintain and deepen mutually beneficial partnership with France in a variety of vectors,” said Abdreshev.
In 2022, at the invitation of President Macron, Kazakh President Tokayev made an official visit to France, where he met with key French business leaders from the energy and transportation sectors. The visit culminated in the signing of 25 economic agreements totaling $3 billion, according to Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
In November of last year, Macron made a return visit to Astana. During the talks, the two leaders focused on strengthening trade, economic, investment, and energy cooperation and addressed various international and regional issues.
Trade between Kazakhstan and France has grown significantly this year, reaching $4 billion from January to August, a 44.7% increase compared to the same period in 2023, according to the Kazakh Ministry of Trade and Integration.
Kazakhstan’s exports to France rose by 45.2%, totaling $2.7 billion for the first eight months of 2024. Major exports included crude oil ($2.4 billion), uranium ($158.4 million), titanium and titanium products ($51.3 million), turbojet and turboprop engines and other gas turbines ($19.1 million), hydrogen and inert gases ($5.5 million), rapeseed ($5.2 million), electrical machinery and special-purpose apparatus ($3.8 million), and sulfur ($1.4 million).
Imports from France to Kazakhstan increased by 43.5% to $1.3 billion. Key imports included aircraft ($596.7 million), pharmaceuticals and fragrances ($32.6 million), skin care and decorative cosmetics ($30.3 million), electrical equipment panels and consoles ($23.8 million), parts for electric current control equipment ($23.8 million), and carbon electrodes ($23.5 million).
More than 200 enterprises with the French capital, including major companies such as Total, Orano, Alstom, Danone, Vicat, and Saint-Gobain, operate in Kazakhstan.
Tokayev previously emphasized that Kazakhstan is committed to creating favorable conditions for French companies to expand their presence in the Kazakh market, particularly in sectors such as petrochemicals, green energy, aviation, manufacturing, transportation, and logistics.
Abdreshev highlighted French companies’ interest in contributing to Kazakhstan’s construction and modernization projects for water management facilities. This involvement, he said, will support the development of crucial water conservation infrastructure in Kazakhstan.
“The prospects for cooperation look quite promising, as the agenda of our bilateral dialogue is becoming more and more multicomponent with each passing year. Astana and Paris have long moved well beyond simple trade relations,” Abdreshev said.
Cultural ties
Cultural and humanitarian ties between Kazakhstan and France are flourishing as well. Since 2013-2014, the two countries have held intercultural seasons, and since 2018, France has hosted the annual Kazakhstan’s Autumn in France events, featuring traditional and classical music, art exhibitions, fashion shows, and a Kazakh cinema festival.
Key milestones include the unveiling of a bust of Kazakh poet Abai in Paris in 2021, the signing of a cooperation pact between the two capitals, and the Astana Week at Paris’s Christmas market in 2023. Negotiations are underway to showcase a Kazakh national exhibition at the Louvre and host intercultural days in 2025-2026.
In education, 603 Kazakh students currently study in France, supported by programs such as Bolashak and Abai-Vern, while Alliance Française centers operate in major Kazakh cities to strengthen educational and cultural exchange.
