Kazakhstan and France Forge Strategic Minerals Partnership
President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and President of France Emmanuel Macron have signed a joint declaration of intent on cooperation on strategic minerals at a Nov. 1 meeting, the Akorda press service reported.
Tokayev emphasized the importance of implementing new projects in various industries, such as raw materials, agriculture, transport, logistics, healthcare, innovation, finance, and light industries. He highlighted the significance of these projects, especially in the face of the complicated geopolitical and geo-economic situation.
To date, over 170 French companies, including Alstom, Total Energies, Orano, and Vicat, are successfully operating in Kazakhstan. Tokayev mentioned an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to establish a working group that promotes joint investment projects beneficial to both countries.
Regarding the transition to a green economy and addressing climate change, Tokayev expressed Kazakhstan’s readiness to join efforts in the French One Planet Summit initiative.
To strengthen academic ties, the presidents signed agreements on establishing French schools and French learning classes in secondary educational institutions in Kazakhstan.
Macron expressed France’s intention to enhance its companies’ presence in Kazakhstan, particularly in the energy and aerospace industries. He acknowledged Kazakhstan’s crucial role in ensuring food security and emphasized the potential for both nations to strengthen their markets.
In the healthcare sector, progress was made with a project involving the local production of vaccines against foot-and-mouth disease, marking a step towards a promising partnership.
Several agreements were signed between the two countries. These include the establishment and operation of the French Development Agency Group in Kazakhstan, a contract for a joint venture to build wind power plants with an energy storage system, and an investment agreement on the production and maintenance of railway locomotives, rolling stock, and components in Kazakhstan.
The signing of these agreements signifies the commitment of Kazakhstan and France to deepen their cooperation across various sectors and promote mutually beneficial projects between the two countries.
