The Agency of "Uzbekcosmos"

A meeting was held at the Uzbekcosmos Agency with Walid Fouque, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of France to the Republic of Uzbekistan. During the meeting, prospects for bilateral cooperation and the further development of collaboration in the space sector were discussed.

During the talks, Uzbekcosmos Director Sh. Kadyrov presented information on the current state of space cooperation between Uzbekistan and France. Specifically, the parties discussed the work being carried out in collaboration with the French consulting company Novaspace to develop the "Space Research and Technology 2030" strategy, as well as measures being implemented in 2022–2023 with financial support from France and in collaboration with Airbus on the joint GeoFerma project, aimed at introducing remote sensing technologies using satellite systems to Uzbekistan's agriculture.

Furthermore, prospects for cooperation with CNES (France's National Center for Space Studies) were discussed.

The parties particularly noted the successful holding of the national stage of the ActInSpace international hackathon on January 30–31, 2026, in collaboration with the French Embassy. They also exchanged views on other educational projects implemented by the Agency, such as the "Young Engineer" program, the NASA Space Apps Challenge, and other initiatives.

Furthermore, it was emphasized that a large number of French companies are expected to participate in the STC (Space Technology Conference), which will be held from March 31 to April 1, 2026, in Tashkent. The Ambassador was thanked for the support provided by France, represented by CNES, during the competitive selection process for the right to host the International Astronautical Congress (IAC-2028) in Samarkand in 2028.

The French Ambassador praised the friendly and strategic relations between Uzbekistan and France. He also announced that an International Space Summit featuring high-level leaders is planned for July of this year in Paris, and invited the Agency's delegation to participate in the event. Furthermore, the Ambassador expressed his willingness to facilitate advanced training in collaboration with CNES and to explore the possibility of launching space education programs jointly with leading higher education institutions in Uzbekistan.

During the meeting, the parties exchanged views on the 6U satellite project, prospects for training a national cosmonaut, and other ongoing projects.

Finally, the Agency Director announced the planned visit of Agency leadership to Paris to participate in the IAF Spring Meetings, which will take place from March 24–26, 2026. The parties agreed to further expand cooperation, intensify work on practical areas, and continue their dialogue.