Working visit of the Kazakh Deputy PM to France
During the visit K. Kelimbetov had talks and bilateral meetings with the French side and heads of delegations from various countries accredited under International Exhibition Bureau.
The Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan speaking at the business forum, organized by the Kazakh-France Business Council and the Movement of French Enterprises MEDEF, told about the economy and the priorities of the country, urged businessmen to participate more actively in the industrialization, increase local content and technology transfer.
The same day K. Kelimbetov spoke at the official reception on the occasion of the Day of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Paris.
Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations Philippe Douste-Blazy, Deputy Executive Director of the International Energy Agency, former U.S. Ambassador Richard Jones, Deputy Chairman of the French Atomic and Renewable Energy Commission (CEA) Dr Hervé Bernard, who attended the reception, highlighted the significance of Kazakhstan's theme "Energy for the future" in the campaign for the right to host EXPO 2017 in Astana. In addition, foreign diplomats, politicians, representatives of the French ministries and large companies involved into the renewable energy sector, as well as European and local media and the public figures attended the reception.
In his opening speech K.Kelimbetov presented the results of a successful implementation of the country's development strategy, its potential and prospects of alternative energy sources in Kazakhstan.
R. Jones said stressed the importance of Kazakhstan project's theme which is fully consistent with global objectives on energy saving, and brought evidence-statistical data on solid work of Kazakhstan in this field. He called for support of the candidacy of Astana and expressed hope to visit the EXPO in 2017.
In turn, H. Bernard told the participants about the development of Kazakh-French cooperation in the field of solar energy, and asked to support Astana's bid on behalf of his government.
Along with this, the Kazakh Deputy Prime Minister and Ambassador Nurlan Danenov met with Secretary General Adjoint, the Presidency of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.
E.Macron emphasized it was important for President Hollande to further strengthen the strategic partnership with Kazakhstan. Discussing the issue of Kazakhstan's accession to the WTO, he confirmed that Paris will fully support Astana in early promotion of membership, as well as other initiatives in the framework of the international institutions.