An annual meeting “RENCONTRES KAZAKHSTAN” of the French business community interested in Kazakhstan took place on April 18, 2017 at the office of Business France in Paris.

For the third time, CCIS-EXPERTISE is an official partner of this event, which shares its experience in the certification of products and equipment being placed on the Kazakh market. “The country has a strong potential”, emphasized Laurent DAMASSE, Director Business France Kazakhstan who gave 7 reasons why Kazakhstan should become of interest:

  1. Kazakhstan, a regional leader, is part of the Eurasian Economic Union together with Russia, Belarus, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan, an integrated market of 180 million consumers.
  2. Kazakhstan is hosting the International Specialized Exhibition “Astana EXPO-2017” with the main theme "Energy of the Future" (several million visitors expected). The General Commissioner of France for Astana EXPO 2017 is going to present his vision on April 18, 2017.
  3. The "Silk Road" project. It is a project led by China to transport its goods to Europe mainly by rail (10 days instead of 42 by sea). Kazakhstan is an integral part of this road, which presupposes there would be strong developments in all sectors, including the tertiary. The new dry port of Korghos, on the "silk" railway between China and Kazakhstan, is a special economic zone of several hundred hectares being in full development.
  4. International financial institutions such as EBRD, IBRD, ADB, IDB, etc. are financing the renovation and development of infrastructure in Kazakhstan investing billions of dollars. This will allow the development of trade routes and especially logistics.
  5. Oil: tap opening! The NCOC consortium, of which Total is a member (1 / 6th), has launched, after several tens of billions of dollars of investments, the commercialization of the oil of Kashagan, one of the largest giant wells in the world. In June 2016, Chevron announced a $ 37 billion investment in the Tengiz well, another giant well (probably the world's No. 1 investment today). These investments ensure a good economic climate for at least the next 5 years.
  6. 10%: this is the increase in sales over 12 months (to October 2016) of one of the household and electronic products distribution brands in Kazakhstan. Everyone agrees that the country has "hit the rock bottom" in early 2016, after two years of devaluation and a half loss of the value of its currency (so producing in Kazakhstan is often more profitable than in China). Consumption is on the uptake again.
  7. French subsidiaries present: Total, Areva, Alstom (manufacture of locomotives for the whole area of the Eurasian Economic Union and outside its boarders), Airbus, LDi Dimotrans, Gefco, Sanofi, Peugeot, Renault, Pernod Ricard, LVMH. Arrival of Leroy Merlin. Presence of franchises Carrefour, L'Occitane, Paul and many others.