Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman arrived in Paris on Sunday, August 23rd, for a high-profile two-day visit to France. MBS is visiting France on the invitation of the French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit focuses on bilateral deals as well as the emerging situation in the Middle East.
MBS last visited France in 2024. The ongoing visit will reaffirm and strengthen the strategic partnership between the two countries on the occasion of the centenary of diplomatic relations between Saudi Arabia and France, first established in 1926.
MBS’s trip to France begins with President Macron hosting him at the final of the Esports World Cup on Sunday. Backed heavily by the Saudi Crown Prince, this championship event marked a massive cultural milestone, as it was the first time the tournament had been held outside Saudi Arabia since its inception
On Monday, August 24th, the high-level diplomatic sessions began at Elysée Palace, and the primary discussions between Macron and MBS focused on the intense regional security situation resulting from tensions in the Middle East, conflict resolution and alternative energy routes.
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Both leaders aimed to address the ongoing conflict in the region and diplomatic steps regarding the Israeli-Palestinian situation and joint efforts towards de-escalating broader geopolitical conflicts, while also reviewing alternative shipping and energy routes to safely bypass the Strait of Hormuz.
The leaders will also focus on economic cooperation and bilateral business deals. The visit is also meant to convene a French-Saudi investment roundtable, which will gather top CEOs, investors and state ministers from both the countries. The bilateral meetings have resulted in a series of major agreements and memorandums of understanding accross several sectors between Riyadh and Paris.
The key sectors under discussion include energy and utilities, which will see joint strategic cooperation, sustainability initiatives, and supply security, as well as transport and logistics needed for the infrastructure development aligned with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 blueprint.
Moreover, Both countries will also explore cooperation in resilience systems, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.
