Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Talks between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, took place at the Élysée Palace.

The leaders of the two countries discussed prospects for strengthening Uzbek-French cooperation both in a one-on-one format and with the participation of their delegations. They noted the successful implementation of agreements reached during the previous summit in Samarkand in November 2023.

Bilateral collaboration is gaining momentum: trade turnover has surpassed €1 billion for the first time, and the number of joint ventures has quadrupled. French companies such as Orano, EDF, Total, SUEZ, Voltalia, Veolia, and others are actively operating in Uzbekistan. A new Cooperation Program has been adopted in partnership with the French Development Agency.

The visit was accompanied by a meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission, a business mission by MEDEF, and events in Paris, Toulouse, Lyon, and Nice. Additionally, a bust of the great scholar Abu Rayhan Beruni was unveiled in Gretz-Armainvilliers.

Investment was a key focus of the discussions. A Program for Innovative and Industrial Partnership was prepared for the summit, outlining projects worth €6.5 billion. Overall, the joint initiative portfolio now exceeds €12 billion.

To further deepen cooperation, the proposal was made to establish an Uzbek-French Investment Council and hold its first meeting at the Tashkent Investment Forum in June. In 2026, Samarkand will host the first Forum of Regions of the two countries.

The leaders expressed support for humanitarian initiatives, including the opening of the Uzbek-French University and a branch of the French Heritage Institute in Tashkent, as well as an avant-garde art exhibition in Paris featuring works from the Savitsky Museum collection.

The two sides also agreed to consider increasing the frequency of direct flights and expanding cooperation in security, counterterrorism, and cybercrime prevention.

Following the talks, a historic decision was made to establish a strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and France.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev invited President Emmanuel Macron to visit Uzbekistan on a reciprocal visit.