Delegation of Uzbekistan visits France
24/03/2014 14:17
Delegation of Uzbekistan visits France
24/03/2014 14:17
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- A delegation of Uzbekistan paid a visit to Paris on 12-13 March 2014 on invitation of the Government of France, the press service of the Ministry of Foreign Economic Relations, Investment and Trade of Uzbekistan (MFERIT) said.
Within the visit, the fifth session of the Uzbek-French intergovernmental commission on trade-economic cooperation, business forum and roundtable on cooperation in agriculture complex, meetings and negotiations with heads of French companies and organizations were held.
The delegation of France at the session of the intergovernmental commission was led by Minister of Foreign Trade of France Nicole Bricq, who was recently appointed as the co-chair of the commission.
In line with agenda, the sides considered actual issues of bilateral trade-economic cooperation, including expanding bilateral trade, implementation of investment projects in various sectors of economy, promoting joint programmes in agriculture, animal husbandry and viticulture, boosting cooperation in tourism and financial-technical sphere.
Nicole Bricq underlined that the French side pays great attention to strengthening mutual beneficial cooperation with Uzbekistan. She called to strengthen role of the commission to promote cooperation projects.
She noted that French companies are interesting in working with Uzbekistan. The French side said that successful projects with Airbus, Technip, Oberthur, Thales and Schneider and other companies formed sustainable positive image of Uzbekistan as long-term and reliable partner. Accor, Air Liquide, Lafarge, Saint-Gobain, Sanofi-Aventis, L’Oreal, and others are interested in implementation new investment projects.
Besides, the French side offered cooperation in transport infrastructure sector. Creation of joint working group under the commission on introduction f advanced experience, modern engineering solutions and new technologies of French companies in development and modernization of transport infrastructure in Uzbekistan was proposed.
Paris overall shares positions of the Uzbek side on environment and rational water use in the Central Asian region. The sides supported idea on establishment of cooperation between the State Nature Committee of Uzbekistan and Ministry of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy of France.
France also supported a candidacy of Samarkand city as a venue for the 99th session of the Executive Council of the World Tourism Organization.
At the session, the sides considered and adopted joint decisions on issues of cooperation in agriculture, animal husbandry, plant-growing, viticulture, implementation of projects with attraction of soft financing of the French Development Agency (ADF).
The Uzbek-French Business forum was held at headquarters of the French business association MEDEF, which was attended by heads and representatives of Ministries of Economy and Finance, External Trade, Tourism, Agriculture and over50 French companies such as Airbus, Accor, Alstom, Areva, L’Oreal, Oberthur, Sanofi-Aventis and others.
Opening the event, chairperson of MEDEF International Christian Mons underlined high interest of French businesses to expanding partnership relations with enterprises of Uzbekistan.
He said that sustainable and dynamic development of economy of Uzbekistan, one of highest economic growth in the world and created conditions for development of business and investment, strengthened with successful joint projects, attract new French companies to bilateral cooperation.
He said that MEDEF International is ready actively support establishing and strengthening long-term business contacts between interested companies of two states, help to implement perspective joint projects through organization of joint events. He called to organize a visit of the French companies to Uzbekistan in the second half of 2014.
In its turn, the delegation of Uzbekistan presented economic and investment potential of the country, as well as concrete investment projects in oil and gas, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, construction materials, agriculture, animal husbandry, viticulture and wine production, processing of fruits and vegetables, tourism sectors.
At the end of the event, French companies received answers to their question on various aspects of investment activities in Uzbekistan, including preferences and privileges, opportunities to export products CIS in free trade regime, development of power sector, including alternative sources of energy, industry, etc. Several bilateral negotiations between Uzbek and French companies were held.
On the initiative of the French side, a roundtable on cooperation in agriculture sector, organized by Ministries of External Trade and Agriculture of France at the support of French Association of Development of Agriculture products and equipment (ADEPTA), was held in Paris.
Representatives of over 40 organization and companies, working in agriculture complex, participated in the event and presented their activities and proposals on perspective directions of interaction with Uzbekistan.
Nicole Bricq said that Uzbekistan and France have many common in economic plan such as powerful agriculture sector and attractive tourism sector. She said the sides should do their best to ensure presence of French companies in Uzbekistan and agriculture sector have reserve for future development. She called companies and agriculture ministries should boost cooperation in this sector.
At the end of the event, the sides agreed to develop cooperation in such priority directions as plant-growing and viticulture, animal husbandry, veterinary and phytosanitary surveillance, research and development programs, skills development.
Taking into account successful experience of participation of French companies in Uzbekistan Agrominitech exhibition, the sides reached agreement on attracting leading French companies to the exhibition, which will take place in May 2014, at the assistance of ADEPTA.
Within the visit, the delegation of Uzbekistan held meetings and negotiations with representatives of the French Development Agency, Airbus, Sanofi-Aventis, Accor, Alstom, Lafarge, Saint-Gobain, L’Oreal, Air Liquide, Oberthur, Intron, Effaj, Vinci, EGIS, BRL and others.
Uzbekistan and France signed a protocol of the fifth session of intergovernmental commission, a memorandum of understanding between MFERIT and French Development Agency on implementation of the project introduction of system of solid waste management in Samarkand city and protocol of intention on cooperation between MFERIT, Uzbektourism and Accor, which envisages that the sides will consider transfer of management of City Palace Hotel in Tashkent to French company.
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