President of France Francois Hollande will visit Kazakhstan’s capital Astana in December 2014, Tengrinews reports citing the official website of the Astana Akimat (city administration).
President of France Francois Hollande will visit Kazakhstan’s capital Astana in December 2014, Tengrinews reports citing the official website of the Astana Akimat (city administration).
On November 20, Mayor of Astana city Adilbek Dzhaksybekov met with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to Kazakhstan Francis Etienne. They agreed that the active development of Kazakh-French cooperation was based on a productive and friendly political dialogue at the presidents of Kazakhstan and France.
“The visit of French President Francois Hollande to Kazakhstan in December is a landmark event for our relations. I am convinced that the meeting of the presidents and representatives of official and business circles will give a powerful impetus to the further expansion and deepening of our cooperation,” Dzhaksybekov said.
During his visit, French President is expected to attend the opening of a monument devoted to the founder and first president of the Fifth Republic General Charles de Gaulle. The monument is located in the park in the Akbulak 3 micro district on the street bearing the name of Charles de Gaulle in Astana. Two residential complexes Paris Quarter and French Quarter designed in French classical style are also located on this street.
French Ambassador expressed his deep gratitude to the people of Kazakhstan and President of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev for paying the tribute to the first President of the French Republic.
Kazakhstan and France established the diplomatic relations back in 1992. Since that time, two French Presidents visited Kazakhstan: President Francois Mitterrand in 1993 and President Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009.
Currently, more than 100 French companies operate in Kazakhstan. One of the largest and successful joint ventures is Eurocopter, a helicopter assembly plant owned by Kazakhstan, France and Germany that is located in a special economic zone Astana – New City .
Another important business partner is Iveco company that provides buses to Astana city that is working on modernization of its public transport fleet. Currently, the company and Astana city are implementing the New Transport System of Astana City and CITY BUS projects.
As for cooperation in the health sector, there is a Concept of Strategic Partnership in 2014-2016 between Astana-based Oncology Center and Gustave Roussy Institute of Oncology. Kazakh and French specialists are exchanging experience and the French hospital is teaching its Kazakh colleagues the advanced French techniques and methods of detection and treatment of cancer.
Kazakhstan and France also collaborate in culture. Alliance Francaise cultural and educational agency works in Kazakhstan's several cities - Almaty, Astana, Shymkent, Karaganda and Aktobe. The Season of French Culture was held in Kazakhstan in 2013, while the Days of Kazakh Culture were held in various cities of France in early November.
By Assel Satubaldina