BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 14. Uzbekistan’s Bukhara region and France’s Orano plan to expand investment cooperation and integrate local enterprises into global supply chains.
This was announced in a statement published by the press service of the Uzbek government, following the meeting between the Governor of Bukhara region, Botir Zaripov, and Claude Imauven, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the French state-owned nuclear fuel cycle group Orano.
''The high-level meeting focused on accelerating interregional connections and introducing advanced technologies into Bukhara's developing industrial base. Zaripov detailed the administrative and tax incentives structured for foreign investors in the region, while both sides explored joint implementation paths for prospective projects,'' the press service of the Uzbek government says.
Highlighting the long-standing cultural framework underpinning the relationship, the officials noted the sister-city ties between Bukhara and the French city of Rueil-Malmaison, where a monument to the historic scholar Abu Ali ibn Sino (Avicenna) serves as a symbol of scientific and cultural exchange. To leverage this established diplomatic foundation for industrial growth, Zaripov and Imauven, who also heads the France-Uzbekistan Business Council at MEDEF International, agreed to map out target sectors for direct commercial partnerships.
''At the meeting, detailed information was provided on the industrial potential, production capacities, and favorable conditions created for foreign investors in the Bukhara region,'' the government stated.
Earlier, the discussions were also held between Uzbekistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance, Jamshid Kuchkarov, and a French business delegation led by Claude Imauven, chairman of the France-Uzbekistan Business Council, on July 9.
Representatives of several major French companies, including Orano, IKA Technology, Blue Water Intelligence (BWI), Groupe SNEF, and Vinci Construction Grands Projets, attended the meeting alongside officials from Uzbekistan's Ministry of Economy and Finance.
''The parties discussed further expanding practical cooperation with French companies, improving the efficiency of ongoing projects, and supporting new investment initiatives,'' the ministry said.
