DUSHANBE, April 27, 2015, Asia-Plus — French companies interested in investing in Tajikistan’s economy, Mr. Phillipe Gautier, Deputy Director-General of the Movement of Enterprises of France (MEDEF), said during a meeting with Tajik Minister of Industry and New Technologies, Shavkat Bobozoda, which took place here on April 24 on the sidelines of the first Tajik-French business forum.
According to the Ministry of Industry and New Technologies (MINT) press center, French entrepreneurs were interested in priority sectors of Tajikistan’s economy for foreign investment.
The Tajik side reportedly proposed to invest in projects aimed at in establishing logistics centers. Mining, agriculture, textiles and food industries were outlined as areas of which could drive bilateral trade between the two countries.
Senior representatives of 22 leading companies of France and top managers of more than 50 local companies, senior representatives of relevant government bodies of Tajikistan participated in the forum, the source said.
According to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan, a two-way trade between Tajikistan and France last year amounted to only about 9 million U.S. dollars, which was 35 percent fewer than in 2013. Over the first quarter of this year, trade between Tajikistan and France has amounted to about 3 million U.S. dollars.
The Mouvement des entreprises de France (MEDEF), or the Movement of the Enterprises of France, is the largest employer federation in France. Established in 1998, it replaced the Conseil national du patronat Français (CNPF), or the National Council of the French Employers, which was founded in 1946.
MEDEF has more than 750,000 member firms, 90 percent of them being small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with fewer than 50 employees. Every year, MEDEF International organizes a number of delegations of French business leaders with tangible projects to targeted countries, especially developing countries. MEDEF espouses “sustainable development”, raising companies’ awareness to the fact that environmental protection can also feature among their competitive advantages.
