French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Saudi Arabia's crown prince and de facto ruler, Mohammed bin Salman, for a two-day visit that underscores the strength of the relationship between Paris and Riyadh. The visit, which begins on Sunday, features an expansive agenda ranging from high-level discussions on regional security to the closing ceremony of the e-sports World Cup in Paris.
The visit officially commences on Sunday evening as President Macron welcomes the crown prince, widely known as MBS, at the closing ceremony of the e-sports World Cup. This global championship, which brings together the elite of e-sports ranging from video games to chess, is being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time. According to the Élysée, the staging of this event in Paris serves as a testament to France's renewed appeal as a host for major international sporting events and illustrates a shared ambition between France and Saudi Arabia to utilize sport and culture as drivers of their rapprochement.
Substantive diplomatic and economic work is scheduled for Monday, the second day of the visit. The two leaders are set to chair the inaugural meeting of the Franco-Saudi Strategic Partnership Council. An official at the French presidency stated that the summit will address major economic and strategic issues that underpin the Franco-Saudi partnership, specifically within the sectors of energy, aerospace, and defense. Several agreements covering health, transport, and energy are expected to be signed on Monday, further strengthening the bilateral relationship.
The discussions are also expected to cover regional stability. In the context of the ongoing US-Israeli conflict and its impact on the Middle East, the leaders will exchange views on key regional issues. The Élysée emphasized that the current climate calls for close coordination between France and its Gulf partners to promote peace and stability in the Near and Middle East. Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States and historically at odds with Iran, is also closely following developments within the Islamic Republic.
While the partnership is bolstered by economic necessity—particularly as Europe seeks to wean itself off Kremlin fuels following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and relies on Saudi Arabia as the world's leading crude exporter—the visit arrives amidst long-standing scrutiny regarding human rights. The 2018 murder and dismemberment of Saudi dissident journalist Jamal Khashoggi inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul remains a point of contention. A United Nations investigation described the death as an extrajudicial execution for which Saudi Arabia is responsible, and US intelligence services concluded that MBS had approved the operation. Riyadh has consistently denied these accusations, blaming them on agents who acted on their own initiative.
Previous visits, such as the one in July 2022, faced sharp criticism from French political figures on the left. At the time, Green politician Yannick Jadot protested the visit, while Julien Bayou, then national secretary of Europe Écologie-Les Verts, stated that France should not be a doormat for dictators in search of international rehabilitation. Despite such opposition, the French government maintains that the relationship is essential for both regional and economic reasons. The current visit also touches upon Saudi Arabia's future global ambitions, as the Kingdom prepares to host major events, including the 2030 World Expo and the 2034 football World Cup. The Élysée official declined to say whether the upcoming agreements might cover the large "Dragon Ball" theme-park project, which is backed by a Saudi fund and currently under consideration in Val-d'Oise.
