President Macron’s Saudi visit signals a perfect alignment of ambitions and visions

French President Emmanuel Macron heads to Saudi Arabia on Monday to begin a historic three-day state visit, marking the most substantial high-level engagement between the two nations in decades. He comes on the personal invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The exceptional nature of this diplomatic mission is underscored by its formal state visit status and an unusually large delegation accompanying President Macron. The visit gains special significance against the backdrop of an extraordinary period in the Saudi-French strategic partnership and friendship.

Bilateral relations have seen steady progress in recent years, bolstered by a series of high-level summits between the two nations’ leaders. The momentum began with the crown prince’s pivotal visit to France in April 2018, which laid the foundation for a new era in bilateral relations based on sustainability and the development of strategic ties founded on friendship, understanding and partnerships driven by mutual interests.

The momentum continued with equally significant visits by the crown prince to France in July 2022 and June 2023, complemented by President Macron’s December 2021 trip to Jeddah, where he held crucial talks with the crown prince.

During these meetings, numerous topics of mutual interest were discussed and several important agreements related to the shared interests of the two friendly nations were signed, encompassing vital areas such as political, security, economic, cultural and sports matters, as well as discussions on various regional and international issues of common concern. This week’s state visit represents the culmination of these diplomatic exchanges, building on a long history of cooperation and partnership between the two nations and their peoples.

In the commercial realm, official reports indicate that bilateral trade volume reached €9.5 billion ($10 billion) in 2023, with French exports climbing 5 percent from 2022 levels to hit €4.2 billion. Statistics from the French Treasury reveal that, in 2023, the Kingdom was the leading exporter to France and the second-largest importer from France within the Middle East and Near East regions.

The trade exchanges between the two nations are increasingly shifting toward strategic and capital goods, particularly in sectors such as aviation, aerospace, renewable energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals and rehabilitation services. Additionally, approximately 400 French companies are currently engaged in joint projects and investments with the Kingdom. Saudi businessmen and companies are also enhancing their investments and partnerships with France.

The president is accompanied on this visit by a significant commercial and economic delegation that includes the CEOs of major French companies and manufacturers that are either existing partners with the Kingdom or seeking to establish partnerships. While the presence of French companies and brands is not new to the Kingdom, recent years have witnessed notable advancements following the modernization of Saudi commercial and investment regulations in the framework of Vision 2030, which was launched under the patronage of the crown prince in 2016.

Saudi-French cooperation extends into previously unexplored or underdeveloped sectors, spanning tourism, fintech, cybersecurity, renewable energy, telecommunications, space technology and AI.

Fahad Al-Ruwaily

This vision aims to usher in a comprehensive developmental and human renaissance, encouraging sustainable partnerships that provide mutual benefits for both parties. It also emphasizes the importance of training, qualification and the exchange of expertise and knowledge. Investment regulations encourage the establishment of regional headquarters and representative branches for partner companies or those seeking to create partnerships, allowing them to take advantage of the benefits offered by the Kingdom, which include stability, economic capacity, modernized systems, a qualified young workforce, advanced infrastructure and a strategic geographical location.

French companies are rapidly establishing strong footholds in Saudi Arabia through successful and sustainable partnerships based on the “win-win” principle. Recently, there has been an unprecedented wave of French firms opening regional offices in the Kingdom to strengthen and expand these partnerships.

The cooperation also extends into previously unexplored or underdeveloped sectors, spanning tourism, fintech, cybersecurity, renewable energy, telecommunications, space technology and artificial intelligence. The partnership also encompasses environmental initiatives, including biodiversity and ecosystem conservation, coral reef protection and marine habitat preservation.

While it is challenging to cover all aspects of cooperation in a brief article, taking the AI sector alone, a major breakthrough came at the Global AI Summit held in Riyadh in September, when Saudi Arabia announced partnerships with 40 leading French AI companies. Operating under the National Industry Development and Logistics Program, these collaborations encompass knowledge transfer, qualification programs, startup support and joint venture funding.

This builds on the memorandums of understanding signed during Macron’s December 2021 visit to Saudi Arabia, which laid the groundwork for institutional, economic and scientific cooperation in emerging technologies, AI and digital innovation. The Kingdom’s leadership strongly supports this sector, which has become fundamental to sustainable development within the Fourth Industrial Revolution. According to reports from the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority, AI and data are linked to approximately 70 percent of the Vision 2030 targets.

Another significant milestone was reached in September, when Saudi Arabia, UNESCO and the International Center for Artificial Intelligence Research and Ethics signed a tripartite agreement. This established ICAIRE’s Riyadh office as a Category 2 Center under UNESCO’s auspices.

The Kingdom ranks among the world’s fastest-advancing nations in this field. It now ranks 14th globally in the Government AI Readiness Index, holds seventh place in AI trade metrics and leads the Arab world among the 83 nations evaluated. Looking ahead, Saudi Arabia will participate in the AI Action Summit in Paris next February, which will be hosted by President Macron. According to the Elysee Palace, the summit will address critical issues including AI’s environmental impact, sustainability and the establishment of comprehensive global governance frameworks.

This visit takes on exceptional significance against the backdrop of current regional and international circumstances. At the forefront is the ongoing Gaza conflict, where civilian casualties continue to mount and Israeli military operations persist, while ceasefire negotiations remain deadlocked and humanitarian aid access faces significant challenges. Both countries have pledged to redouble their diplomatic efforts to address these urgent concerns.

In the Lebanese context, international diplomatic efforts, supported by both Saudi Arabia and France, have culminated in securing a ceasefire agreement, which both nations herald as a potential stepping stone toward Lebanon’s long-term stability, sovereignty and security. The partnership extends beyond diplomacy to humanitarian action, relief assistance, and medical support to the Lebanese people.

Building on commitments made during President Macron’s December 2021 visit to Riyadh, the two governments have established a joint humanitarian fund targeting Lebanon’s pressing needs, so as to help the Lebanese population as they navigate through their current crisis.

The two countries’ governments cooperate through close consultations in regard to regional and international issues of common interest. These consultations go beyond the regional scope to tackle topics such as the Russia-Ukraine war, which both countries are exerting extensive efforts to end. They are also promoting cooperation at the multilateral level, both with other countries and within international bodies to address global challenges that require such cooperation.

This includes the international cooperation efforts aimed at fighting terrorism, extremist ideology and discriminatory and hateful thoughts, along with preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and addressing climate change and its repercussions that lead to drought, water scarcity and the spread of desertification. In this context, the visit will coincide with the co-organized One Water Summit and the COP16 conference to combat desertification.

This reflects one aspect of the two countries’ cooperation in the important area of addressing climate change and its repercussions, as the Kingdom was at the forefront of the countries that took part in the negotiations and signed the 2015 Paris Agreement. Additionally, the two countries cooperate at various bilateral and multilateral levels in this regard through the G20, of which they are both members, and the Paris-based Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, with which the Kingdom signed a memorandum of understanding for strategic partnership during the Davos forum.

While the presence of French companies and brands is not new to the Kingdom, recent years have witnessed notable advancements following the modernization of Saudi commercial and investment regulations under Saudi Vision 2030.

Fahad Al-Ruwaily

The agreement includes boosting cooperation between the two parties in several fields, including the economy, governance and sustainability, in addition to cooperating through other international organizations, most notably the UN and its relevant agencies. Along with the government’s efforts, we also see the private sector contributing to this aspect by forging partnerships and exchanging expertise.

Macron’s visit also coincides with significant events and developments. The most notable of these was perhaps King Salman’s inauguration of the Riyadh Metro network last week. This is the largest metro network built in a single phase in the world, thus realizing the project presented by King Salman as a vital target back when he was still the governor of Riyadh and head of the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh. The network’s construction saw a significant presence from French partners and French engineers with extensive expertise in the field, as the Paris Metro is considered one of the oldest, most efficient and most famous networks in the world.

The ancient region of AlUla in northern Saudi Arabia stands as another remarkable example of Saudi-French partnership, showcasing collaborative expertise in culture, archaeology, construction, tourism and hospitality. The success of this partnership, formalized in a 2018 bilateral agreement, was celebrated at a high-level ministerial meeting held in Paris last month.

The Saudi-French Ministerial Committee’s second session praised the extensive level of cooperation achieved across multiple sectors, particularly in regard to culture and professional development, while discussing current and future major projects. Among the lauded developments was Villa Hegra, a joint Saudi-French cultural institution dedicated to the arts and culture of both nations. The archaeological program has proven particularly fruitful, drawing 150 French archaeologists and researchers to the site since 2018. The partnership between the Royal Commission for AlUla and Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne University was another to receive recognition.

French corporate involvement in the region’s development was also commended. Alstom is spearheading the development of AlUla’s tram system, while the Sharaan Resort, designed by the celebrated French architect Jean Nouvel, is taking shape under the expertise of Bouygues Group. The ministerial meeting was accompanied by a major business forum that brought together some of the heads of the largest Saudi companies and their French counterparts, who are concerned with the partnership between the two countries. They had the pleasure of being received by President Macron at the Elysee Palace in the presence of the Saudi minister of investment and his French counterpart.

I wish President Macron and his accompanying delegation the best as they enjoy a pleasant stay in the Kingdom and a successful visit that will contribute to strengthening the two countries’ friendship and partnership. As we say in Saudi Arabia, “Ahlan wa sahlan bikum” (welcome).

• Fahad Al-Ruwaily is the ambassador of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to the French Republic and the Principality of Monaco and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.