Last October, during the second official visit of President Shavkat Mirziyoyev to France, the President of Uzbekistan invited the President of France to visit Uzbekistan.

The moment of meeting the distinguished guest is approaching.

We praise a person who does his job very skillfully with the words “You are as skilled as a Frenchman”, that is, a master of his craft, and this is not in vain. The Uzbek people considered the French skillful, enterprising, masters of their craft in all areas. Real, gifted people live in France.

The famous Foucault pendulum, which tracks the circular trajectory of the globe, matches, cinema, film, and photography... All this was invented in France.

The automotive, space, electrical, and oil refining sectors are the largest in the country.

Naturally, the rapidly developing New Uzbekistan prioritizes the consistent development of cooperation with such a country. Many French companies, such as Technip, Oberthur, and Comau France, implement trade and economic projects in Uzbekistan. Our national airlines have about 30 aircraft from the French Airline Airbus. The French center Alliance Française operates effectively.

Sahibkiran Amir Temur and Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte are always mentioned as the most outstanding commanders in the world. King Charles VI of France and many rulers sent a special letter congratulating Amir Temur on his great victory on the border of Europe and Asia – the Ottoman Peninsula.

The great Temur and Napoleon, recognized as brave commanders and conquerors, were also creators who left a legacy of many buildings and gardens. It is also known that they left “Code”, “Codes”, “Constitutions” and many other written instructions, which are the basis for fair government.

Both countries have a great civilization and a rich historical past. The famous writer and public figure Victor Hugo was inspired by the East and wrote his work “Oriental Motifs”. In his works, he more than once turned to the personality of Sahibkiran Amir Temur. Reading his works, you become amazed by the unique language, deep thoughts, and poetic symbols. Words such as karakul, atlas, algorithm, astrolabe, dervish, and minaret are pronounced almost identically in French and Uzbek. The largest medical center in Paris, the Hôpital Avicenne, is named after Avicenna.

France’s interest in Uzbekistan has increased significantly in recent years. French political scientists J. Barrat, C. Ferro, Ch. Wang published the work “Geopolitics of Uzbekistan” in Paris. The book “Amir Temur and France”, written by famous statesman and public figure, academician Akmal Saidov and the renowned French Temur scholar Lucien Keren, in terms of volume and content, took place among serious fundamental works.

There is an increasing desire for cooperation among business people, particularly manufacturers in light industry, mechanical engineering, and nuclear energy.

A French Language and Culture Center has been created under the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Uzbekistan. Many Uzbekistan universities are opening French language departments, the number of schools specializing in teaching this language is increasing, and educational materials are being published. Preparations are underway to open a branch of one of the French universities in Uzbekistan and establish a mutual exchange of teachers and students. Work on the development of tourism, inter-parliamentary dialogue, and public diplomacy is gaining momentum.

The number of joint ventures and projects in Uzbekistan with France has tripled in recent years. The activities of world-famous companies such as Total Eren, Veolia, Orano, Lactalis, Carrefour, and Shiever in energy, geological exploration, the food industry, and trade are noteworthy. The current portfolio of joint projects exceeds five billion euros. The export of sweet fruits and vegetables, nuts, dried apricots, and raisins grown in Uzbekistan, as well as textile products from Uzbek cotton to the European Union, especially France, is increasing. 

One unique document is the original letter of Sahibkiran Amir Temur to King Charles VI of France, written six centuries ago. Historical sources show that the correspondence between these two rulers spoke of establishing regular trade relations.

Last November, at the Élysée Palace, President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev and President of France Emmanuel Macron agreed to further enhance mutually beneficial collaboration between the two countries and develop relations in the spirit of a comprehensive partnership at a high level.

In their speeches, the leaders noted with satisfaction that bilateral relations are developing at an accelerated pace, a broad political dialogue is deepening, the parties are helping each other within the framework of international organizations, and the inter-parliamentary dialogue is expanding.

Here, I would like to give two examples of the harmonious history of our countries and peoples.

Many people know that the “bioscope” or “cinematograph”, invented by Skladanovsky, was tested by the Lumière brothers on December 28, 1895, in Paris. Then, the incredible movement of the painting was first shown in France and went down in history.

The “telephot” of our compatriot, inventor Boris Grabowski, was tested on July 26, 1928, at the intersection of what is now Buyuk Turon Street and Mustakillik Square. Thus, 95 years ago, a live television report was broadcast in Tashkent using a teletechnical complex for the first time.

This means that the art form that has become an integral part of the human way of life – cinema – was created in Paris, the capital of France, and the instrument of mass communication – television – in Tashkent, the capital of Uzbekistan. UNESCO recognized these global events.

Irismat Abdukhalikov, UzA