OREANDA-NEWS. February 17, 2014. Commodity turnover between Kazakhstan and France had been over 6 billion tenge in 2013, said Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan - Minister of Industry and New Technologies Asset Issekeshev.

"At year-end 2013, France became the fifth among the leading trading partners of Kazakhstan; trade turnover reached more than 6 billion dollars. France ranks fourth by investment to date and the volume of direct investment amounted to more than USD10 billion in recent years. This is a good indicator," he said at a meeting of the Kazakh-French Business Council.

A. Issekeshev noted there are about 150 French companies in Kazakhstan. "If they worked more in oil and gas sector before, then over the past five years they do the industrial sector," Deputy Prime Minister said.

The two countries have already implemented 11 joint projects totaling about USD 1.5 billion, A. Issekeshev said. According to him, new opportunities for cooperation in such areas as pharmaceutical industry, tourism and agriculture have been opened today.