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French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on Wednesday, aiming to spice up France’s profile in a area the place Russia, China, Turkey and Europe are all jostling for affect.
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Macron lands at 0345 GMT within the Kazakh capital Astana for talks with counterpart Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, adopted by the signing of contracts, together with in prescription drugs and aerospace.
After assembly college college students, the French chief will then journey on to Samarkand in neighbouring Uzbekistan the place he’ll keep till Thursday.
France needs to place its political and financial mark on the energy-rich area.
French power large EDF is within the operating to construct Kazakhstan’s first nuclear energy station — a undertaking that is because of be selected in a referendum this yr.
Crucial minerals important for clear power applied sciences, which the area has loads of, can even be a part of the talks.
The top of French uranium firm Orano, which already has a mine in Kazakhstan, will probably be in Macron’s delegation.
France is the fifth-biggest international investor in Kazakhstan, forward of China, primarily due to the involvement of power large TotalEnergies within the huge Kashagan offshore oil discipline undertaking.
Commerce turnover between France and Kazakhstan reached 5.3 billion euros ($5.6 billion) in 2022 and Kazakhstan provides round 40 % of France’s uranium wants.
Central Asia, which has lengthy been beneath Russian affect and was a part of the Soviet Union, is receiving growing consideration from different powers as Moscow is taken up with its conflict in Ukraine.
China is especially lively with its “New Silk Street” undertaking, however Europe and Turkey have additionally proven rising curiosity.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are as a result of go to Astana on Thursday and Friday, shortly after Macron.
‘Reform dynamic’
Each Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are aiming for higher financial openness and a balanced diplomacy, regardless that Russia stays their major accomplice.
Macron’s go to goals to help “curiosity in a diversification of partnerships expressed by each international locations”, a French presidency supply stated.
A number of French presidents have visited Kazakhstan because the fall of the Soviet Union, however Macron would be the first to go to Uzbekistan because the late French chief Francois Mitterrand visited in 1994.
Regardless of their declared want for political liberalisation, each Central Asian international locations are authoritarian states the place protests are sometimes violently repressed.
In 2022, crackdowns on riots killed 238 individuals in Kazakhstan and 21 in Uzbekistan.
Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has put an finish to twenty years of isolation imposed by his predecessor and former mentor Islam Karimov, however there’s nonetheless no actual political opposition.
Macron prefers to emphasize the “reform dynamic” occurring within the nation and has stated that the rule of regulation situation will probably be introduced up throughout his go to.
(AFP)
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