Nazarbayev awards Order of Friendship to Francois Hollande

11.11.2015
    By Assel Satubaldina
    President Nursultan Nazarbayev has held a meeting with President of France Francois Hollande as part of his official visit to France on November 6, Tengrinews reports.
    The two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation and shared their views on the most pressing issues on the international agenda.
    According to Nazarbayev, France is one Kazakhstan’s biggest partners, and today both countries share a complete mutual understanding in many aspects of economy and politics.
    During the meeting, Nazarbayev and Hollande also talked over the implementation of the agreements reached between the two countries during the last visit on part of the French President to Kazakhstan in December last year.
    Astana and Paris have a huge potential for cooperation in trade and economy, investments, culture and humanitarian aid as well as in space industry, according to Nazarbayev.
    In addition, France signed an agreement on its participation in Expo-2017 to be held in Astana in summer of 2017.
    Apart from that, a number of important bilateral agreements were inked during Nazarbayev's visit to France.
    These include a declaration of intent for the development of cooperation in space between the Aerocosmic Committee of Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Investments and Development and the National Center for Space Studies of France as well as a joint declaration between Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Education and Science and the Ministry of Higher Education and Research of France.
    Besides, Nazarbayev awarded the Order of Dostyk (Friendship) of the first degree to Hollande.
    This award is bestowed on individuals for the promotion of international and civil consensus in society and promotion of peace, friendship and cooperation between nations.
    Later the same day, Nazarbayev met with top executives from leading French companies, including Airbus, Alstom Transport, Vicat, Soufflet, Rothschild Group, Veolia Asia and Areva.
    While addressing the participants, Nazarbayev stressed that most of those companies had worked in Kazakhstan and knew the country’s opportunities and long-term prospects well.
    “24 French companies have already implemented projects for a total worth more than $2 billion in Kazakhstan, 14 of these projects are already underway, while another 10 will be launched in the near future. During this visit, deals for more than $5 billion will be signed,” Nazarbayev said.
    The Kazakh leader spoke on trade, economic and investment cooperation between the two countries in detail.
    “France is among Kazakhstan’s key economic partners. Over the past few years, our trade has remained at $6 billion despite the complicated external situation. Over the past decade, French businesses have invested around $12 billion into our economy. 130 French companies are working in Kazakhstan in various areas,” he pointed out.
    In cooperation with France Kazakhstan produces Alstom electric freight trains, Eurocopter helicopters, Peugeot Citroen cars, solar cells, cement and new types of Danone dairy products.
    "Together with Airbus Defence and Space, we launched two satellites for Earth remote sensing and plan to complete the construction of a spacecraft assembly and test complex (in Astana)," Nazarbayev said.
    Nazarbayev also mentioned the projects implemented jointly with Airbus.
    “Kazakhstan has opened a plant that will produce high-tech products from our titanium, which will then be used in the assembly of Airbus aircrafts. At the same time, Kazakhstan’s company Air Astana also uses aircraft made by the French aviation industry," Nazarbayev added.
    He said the launch of direct flights between Astana and Paris in April 2015 and introduction of visa-free entry for French investors by Kazakhstan had a positive effect on the investment cooperation between the two nations.
    In addition, the trade deals signed between Kazakh and French companies cover important areas such as the supply of uranium to France, the automotive industry, water supply and waste disposal, Nazarbayev added.
    Nazarbayev also touched upon the country’s efforts for the further improvement of the investment climate, the implementation of five institutional reforms and 100 Specific Steps program, the Nurly Zhol program and informed the present high ranking French officials on the progress made with preparations for Expo-2017 in Astana.
    At the end, Nazarbayev invited French business people to participate in the industrialization of Kazakhstan, the planned privatization of large enterprises and creation of the Astana International Financial Center based on the Expo-2017 venues.
    “The heads of large French companies praised Kazakhstan’s measures to create a favorable investment climate while noting the country had proved itself as a reliable partner. Representatives from French businesses expressed their high level of interest in the implementation of new projects together with Kazakh companies,” a press release from Ak Orda says, according to Tengrinews.