On October 5, a meeting was held at the Single Distributor site with delegations of experts in the healthcare sector of the French Development Agency (AFD).
The French delegation was represented by leading health experts from the AFD Department of Health and Social Protection, the director and project manager of the AFD office for Central Asia, an international expert from Expertise France and a senior project specialist from the Economic Department of the French Embassy in Kazakhstan.
During the bilateral meeting, the parties discussed issues of mutually beneficial strategic partnership, the possibility of implementing joint projects in the pharmaceutical industry, as well as the economic potential of Kazakhstan.
The activities of the French Development Agency are aimed at supporting projects that improve the living conditions of the population and promote economic growth, including in the field of healthcare and the circulation of medicines.
AFD's support for strengthening the health and social care system has been particularly noticeable since the COVID-19 crisis. In 2021, they allocated €826 million in funding to these sectors. The budget was distributed among 64 projects around the world that provided more than 52 million people with better access to health care and 24 million with improved social protection.
Regarding cooperation with Kazakhstan, in May 2021, AFD signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of National Economy to begin operations in the republic. In addition, during the working trip of the Kazakh delegation headed by the Minister of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan to France, a discussion took place on the draft Intergovernmental Agreement between the two countries in the field of health care, the prospects for Kazakh-French cooperation in the field of health care.
As a result of the negotiations, an agreement was reached to intensify cooperation in the field of healthcare, including attracting investments in the national healthcare system, localizing the production of medicines and medical products, modernizing laboratory services; telemedicine and digital health, as well as the construction of a modern clinic in Almaty.
In the meantime, AFD proposes to launch identification missions in Kazakhstan, starting with the health and social protection sector, given the intensification of bilateral dialogue in this area, supported by the permanent presence of an Expertise France officer in the Ministry of Health of Kazakhstan.
From the side of foreign guests, it was announced that AFD supports the activities of the Single Distributor as an operator, which performs one of the most important fundamental functions in the healthcare system of Kazakhstan.
The head of the Single Distributor, Erkhat Iskaliyev, in turn, expressed gratitude for the interest in cooperation and spoke in more detail about the system of centralized procurement of medicines and medical products, investment opportunities in Kazakhstan, the advantages of joint cooperation and the prospects for further partnership between the two countries.
Speaking about investments, a guide for potential investors - Investment Guide Book, developed jointly with Kazakh Invest, was presented to the guests' attention.
At the end of the meeting, the parties expressed gratitude for the constructive dialogue that took place and their readiness to strengthen the strategic partnership. It was noted that it is necessary to consolidate joint efforts in order to achieve more effective indicators for the development of the industry.
The single distributor, for its part, is ready to cooperate and assist in coordinating issues that arise in the process for the improvement and development of the country’s pharmaceutical sector and the healthcare sector as a whole.
For reference:
The French Development Agency FAR (French: Agence française de développement, AFD) is a French government agency created in 1941 that finances projects and programs in developing countries.
It is a public financial institution that implements policies determined by the French government. AFD teams implement more than 4,200 projects in 150 countries.
This government agency is active in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America, the Caribbean and the French overseas territories, where it funds and supports projects that improve people's lives, promote economic growth and protect the planet.
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