Macron arrives in Central Asia amid great power rivalry

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, the first leg of his trip to Central Asia. Macron landed Kazakh capital Astana for talks with counterpart Kassym-JomartTokayev, followed by the signing of contracts, including in pharmaceuticals and aerospace.

After meeting university students, the French leader will then travel to Uzbekistan where he will stay until Thursday. France is the fifth-biggest foreign investor in Kazakhstan. Trade turnover between France and Kazakhstan reached 5.6 billion USD in 2022 and Kazakhstan supplies around 40 percent of France's uranium needs.