President Mirziyoyev's state visit to France: strategic partnership and highest award
The state visit of Uzbekistan President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to France from March 11 to 13 was warmly received. French President Emmanuel Macron awarded the Uzbek leader with the highest honor – the Order of the Legion of Honor.
A new stage in relations
Mirziyoyev's third official visit to France took place during a complicated period related to the situation of the Ukraine war in Europe. President Macron has focused significant attention on the issue of ensuring European security independently and is working to strengthen relations with Uzbekistan. During the visit, a joint declaration on strategic partnership was also signed between the two countries.
Economic and energy cooperation
During the visit, the main focus was on economic cooperation and the energy sector. Prominent French publications – Le Figaro and Radio France – extensively covered the visit, noting that Uzbekistan has become one of the main countries supplying uranium to France. Additionally, cooperation in the field of rare and strategic metals with France was discussed. According to Euronews, Uzbekistan plans to increase uranium production to 7,000 tons by 2030.
Official meetings and cultural dialogues
Upon arriving in France, President Mirziyoyev was welcomed by Prime Minister and current Minister of Education Elisabeth Borne. During the visit, he met with UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay to discuss the international event to be held in Samarkand this fall. Furthermore, in the Élysée Palace in Paris, President Macron hosted an official reception in honor of Mirziyoyev. Government members from both countries, as well as representatives from art, culture, and business, participated in the ceremony.
France and Uzbekistan – strategic partners
During the visit, the number of Uzbekistan's strategic partners increased by one. The strategic partnership with France aims to further develop cooperation in defense, education, healthcare, investment, and banking sectors.
President Macron also reported on the visit on his Instagram page, posting four times about Uzbekistan. In one of the posts, it was noted that a photograph depicting the landscapes of Uzbekistan taken by a French photographer in the late 19th century was gifted to Mirziyoyev.
Among those awarded France's highest honor – the Order of the Legion of Honor – are renowned politicians such as Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Zelensky, Vladimir Putin, and Mehriban Aliyeva, the wife of Ilham Aliyev.
This visit not only elevated the relations between France and Uzbekistan to a new level but also created new opportunities to further strengthen cooperation between Europe and Asia.
