The business community of the French Grand Est region is interested in strengthening cooperation with Kazakhstan

STRASBOURG, May 18-19, 2021 - As part of the visit to the Grand Est region, round tables on Kazakhstani and French investments were held in Strasbourg and Nancy by the Ambassador of the Republic of Kazakhstan in France Jean GALIEV.

Gilbert STIMPFLIN, President of the Regional Chamber of Commerce of the  Grand Est and Gilles CAUMONT, President of the MEDEF of Meurthe-et-Moselle and the managers of more than 30 local companies participated in these events.

The Ambassador presented to French businessmen the economic and investment potential of Kazakhstan, the activities of development institutions and the existing tools to support investors. He also encouraged to carefully consider the opportunities available for establishing mutually beneficial partnerships.

The desire to work with French companies was underlined in sectors such as agriculture, agri-food, mechanical engineering, metallurgy, logistics, the financial sector, light industry, chemicals, materials production. construction, the digital and green economy, renewable energies.

Gilbert STIMPFLIN and Gilles CAUMONT presented their assessments of the development of the economic segment of the strategic partnership between Kazakhstan and France.

"We know Kazakhstan and see great potential for joint projects", - emphasized Gilbert STIMPFLIN.

Gilles CAUMONT noted a certain number of sectors in which companies can find competitive niches: "We are already in the process of forming a delegation of companies from the region to visit Kazakhstan, because there are plans to develop projects".

During his visit to the region, Ambassador Jean GALIEV visited the factory of the KUHN company, one of the world's leading manufacturers of towed agricultural machinery. The company's management has already started negotiations with potential Kazakh partners. The Nancy technical training center and the laboratories of the Ecole des Mines of the University of Lorraine were also visited.

In Colmar, the Ambassador visited the National Institute for Research on Agriculture, Food and the Environment (INRAE) and the RITTMO research center, which, after interviews, expressed the wish to establish a close cooperation with Non-commercial JSC "National Agrarian Science and Educational Centre".

During a meeting with the mayors of Mulhouse and Nancy, a broad program of interaction, including academic exchanges, was discussed.

All the events took place with the active participation of the Consul General of Kazakhstan in the Grand Est region Anuarbek AKHMETOV and employees of the consular office, who will support companies and organizations in the region in the implementation of new projects.