French President Emmanuel Macron is touring Central Asia to try to strengthen ties in the region where Russia and China enjoy strong influence.
The French leader met Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on Wednesday, with whom he held talks to “accelerate cooperation” in key sectors. He will then travel to Uzbekistan.
During the meeting with Tokayev, the two signed a number of agreements covering economic sectors including minerals critical to clean energy technologies, pharmaceuticals and aerospace.
“The strength (of our partnership) demonstrates the good strategic direction that has been taken and the need to complement and accelerate it,” Macron told a news conference in Astana, the Kazakh capital.
Tokayev called France a “key and reliable partner” in the European Union and said he would seek to give “additional impetus” to the partnership.
France is the fifth largest foreign investor in Kazakhstan and its long-standing relationships include the massive Kashagan offshore oil field project in partnership with French energy giant TotalEnergies, as well as a uranium mine managed by the French company Orano, whose head is part of Macron’s delegation.
French energy giant EDF is also in the running to build Kazakhstan’s first nuclear power plant.
Russia’s backyard
Kazakhstan has moved away from the Kremlin in recent years. Astana refuses to recognize the legitimacy of Ukraine’s separatist states and complies with Western sanctions against Moscow.
The country’s leaders have taken steps to establish strong strategic partnerships with Western countries, and Kazakhstan supplies crude oil to European countries that have refused to buy Russian oil.
As the war in Ukraine keeps Russia occupied, other powers are stepping up efforts to build strategic partnerships in the resource-rich Central Asian region.
Russia has expressed concerns about Western aspirations in its “backyard.”
Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said last week that the West was trying to alienate Russia’s « neighbors, friends and allies. »
This is not the first time that Moscow has expressed concerns about Western projects in Central Asia in recent months.
“The United States and its allies are trying to support nationalist sentiment, spreading lies and manipulating public opinion, including through the Internet and social media,” Russian Security Council deputy Alexander Shevtsov said in June.
At the same time, China has established close ties with Kazakhstan in recent years. It has made huge investments in infrastructure – particularly in energy projects – and the country forms an important link on Beijing’s China-Europe trade route that bypasses Russia.
Do not underestimate the “pressure”
Macron praised Astana for refusing to side with Moscow on Ukraine, saying: “I in no way underestimate the pressure that certain actors can exert on you.”
“We will be able to make progress on important international issues, underline our attachment to the United Nations charter and to principles such as territorial integrity and national sovereignty,” Macron assured.
« This is the way forward for your country, which refuses to be a vassal of any power whatsoever and wants to maintain balanced relations with different countries in the interest of its people. Such a strategy is close to that of France.
Macron will then travel to Uzbekistan, in the first visit to the country by a French leader since 1994.
China is particularly active in Central Asia with its “New Silk Road” project and its intention to play a leadership role in the region.
Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled an ambitious plan for Central Asia’s development at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in May.
Beijing plans to upgrade bilateral investment agreements and increase the volume of cross-border freight with the region, which would encourage Chinese-funded companies in Central Asia to create more jobs, build warehouses and launch a special rail service aimed at promoting tourism.
« To strengthen our cooperation and the development of Central Asia, China will provide Central Asian countries with a total of 26 billion yuan ($3.5 billion) in financial support and subsidies, » Xi said. Xi.
Turkey has also shown growing interest in the region. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is due to visit Astana on Thursday and Friday, shortly after Macron.
