France and Uzbekistan

Political relations

France and Uzbekistan established diplomatic relations on 1 March 1992. A series of intergovernmental agreements, which constitute the basis for relations between France and Uzbekistan, were signed during President Karimov’s visit to France in 1993. After 11 September 2001, French involvement in Afghanistan helped strengthen political dialogue with Tashkent. After a slowdown following the adoption of European sanctions (2005-2009) due to the suppression of demonstrations in the city of Andijan, France has developed its relations with Uzbekistan through regular political dialogue and various cooperation projects.

The bilateral relationship has grown stronger since the election of President Mirziyoyev, whose visits to France in 2018 and again in November 2022 generated positive impetus, and several cooperation projects and intergovernmental agreements were signed on that occasion. The historic visit by French President Emmanuel Macron on 1 and 2 November 2023 to Samarkand, almost 30 years after François Mitterrand’s visit to Uzbekistan, made the prospect of a strategic partnership between France and Uzbekistan possible. This was officially announced during the state visit by the Uzbek President to Paris on 12 and 13 March 2025.

French presence

French Embassy website:https://uz.ambafrance.org/
French Consulate: Tashkent
French community in Uzbekistan: 227 on the consular register (2025)

Visits

President Mirziyoyev’s official visit to Paris on 8 and 9 October 2018 spurred on bilateral cooperation. The Uzbek President made another official visit to Paris on 21 and 22 November 2022 in order to inaugurate the exhibition on the Silk Roads at the Musée du Louvre and an exhibition dedicated to artisans of the courts at the Arab World Institute.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s trip to Samarkand in November 2023 gave rise to the organization of an economic forum that brought together more than 40 French businesses and their priority Uzbek partners, and the signing of several agreements in the fields of education and heritage and two intergovernmental agreements providing for financial support from the Treasury for projects to rebuild water infrastructures.

The state visit of the Uzbek President to Paris on 12 and 13 March 2025 officially elevated the bilateral relationship between France and Uzbekistan to a strategic partnership.

Economic relations

Economic projects have become a fundamental part of the bilateral relationship, with growing interest for the development of projects in the energy, water, urban services, industry, agrifood and transport industries. Financial support from the French State is significant, through private sector study and aid fund (FASEP) grants, treasury loans and BPI AE loan insurance. The French ecosystem is also being developed with the creation of a France-Uzbekistan Economic Chamber in 2024. In 2024, our exports amounted to €371 million and our imports from Uzbekistan €149 million (which is more than three times higher than in 2017). Uranium represents more than 90% of our imports, in addition to other minerals, agricultural products and cotton.

The regional offices of the AFD for Central Asia have been established in Tashkent since 2015, with total financial commitments amounting to more than €1.3 billion in late 2024. Projects involve public policy budgetary loans (green economy, energy transition, climate) and financing for investment projects in various areas (water and sanitation, animal husbandry, electricity distribution, and the rehabilitation of land damaged by the Aral Sea).

Click here for Uzbekistan’s economic statistics : key figures on bilateral trade and support for French businesses

Cultural, scientific and technical cooperation

France helps promote the French language and culture in Uzbekistan where there is a strong interest in Francophonie. Our cultural diplomacy operates through our cooperation and cultural action section (SCAC) within the embassy, two Alliance Française branches (Tashkent and now Samarkand, inaugurated by the President of the Republic during his visit in November 2023), an AEFE-approved French school for primary education, and a Campus France office. France has provided the Uzbek authorities with an international technical expert (ETI) on heritage, who works on the preparation of the future Franco-Uzbek cultural centre. A Franco-Uzbek university was officially launched in May 2025 in Tashkent in the presence of the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

^{Updated: 14.09.25}