Mohammed bin Salman and Macron discussed geopolitical crises
Paris – Agencies: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held formal talks with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris yesterday, addressing geopolitical crises and strengthening economic ties, underscoring the ongoing rapprochement between Paris and Riyadh. Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council, established during the French president’s visit to Riyadh at the end of 2024.
The talks covered the situation in Gaza, the two-state solution, the Lebanese file, the situation in Syria, and the ongoing reshaping of balances in the Middle East. Macron affirmed that the Crown Prince’s visit to France represents an important step toward enhancing peace and stability.
Writing on his X account, the French president stated: “The visit of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to France is an important step. Faced with the region’s challenges, France and Saudi Arabia have always called for peace and stability, and they will continue their dialogue in this direction.” He added, “Our partnership is also shaped through action: major projects, advanced technologies, investments, and international events such as the World Economic Forum in Paris. We have already achieved a great deal together. We can go further.”
The first day of the Crown Prince’s visit to Paris on Sunday was dedicated to esports. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attended, alongside Macron, the closing ceremony of the inaugural World Esports Cup, held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.
Also in Paris yesterday, a Saudi-French investment roundtable was held, organized by the Saudi Ministry of Investment, coinciding with the Crown Prince’s official visit. Both countries hope the visit will help leverage opportunities offered by Saudi Vision 2030 and France 2030 to develop and strengthen their economic partnership in areas such as joint investment, industry, energy, culture and heritage, tourism, education, technology, space, defense and security, and other sectors.
The two nations also seek cooperation and investment in renewable energy, electricity, energy efficiency, innovation, and carbon removal technologies, including solar and wind power generation and project development, transportation, distribution, storage, and grid automation, carbon capture, utilization, and storage, low-emission hydrogen and electricity, as well as oil, its supply, petrochemicals, and peaceful uses of nuclear energy.
The meeting was attended by a large number of government officials, business leaders, and chief executives of major companies from both countries, with the aim of transforming the Saudi-French partnership from agreement frameworks into tangible, actionable investment opportunities and outcomes. The meeting primarily seeks to connect French companies with specific investment opportunities and projects within the Kingdom, providing necessary support to enhance market entry and expansion, alongside supporting strategic partnerships, technology transfer, and direct manufacturing localization.
