The visit by Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to Paris has propelled economic and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and France into a new phase, accelerating the implementation of joint projects and expanding cooperation in the transport, logistics, energy, and advanced technology sectors, French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Patrick Maisonnave told Asharq Al-Awsat. The Crown Prince had visited Paris on August 24, where he co-chaired, alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council. The meeting marked a new milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries and witnessed the announcement of some 20 agreements and memorandums of understanding across several fields. Maisonnave said the meeting “consolidated our long-term cooperation and accelerated the implementation of joint projects.” “France has become one of the Kingdom’s foremost partners and a key player in the economic and cultural transformation the country is undergoing,” he added, noting trade volume grew by 11% in 2025, and Saudi Arabia now ranks as France’s leading trading partner in the Near and Middle East. “While the aviation sector drives our exports, the range of goods is remarkably diverse; pharmaceuticals, food products, cosmetics, and electrical equipment, for instance, feature prominently,” said the ambassador. “Economic relations between our two countries are now characterized by mutual investments, sustainable projects, and the transfer of expertise in areas of shared interest. The Strategic Partnership Council now serves as the framework that will forge closer economic ties between France and the Kingdom as we navigate the transformations of the future,” Maisonnave stressed. Moreover, he noted that France currently ranks as the third-largest foreign investor in the Kingdom. “Our ambition is to strengthen this presence and encourage more French companies to seize the opportunities created by the Kingdom’s transformation.” “The establishment of large-scale credit insurance mechanisms will further support the participation of French companies in the Kingdom’s major strategic projects. It is a Kingdom where France seeks to increase investment, forge partnerships, develop talent, and create value and jobs,” Maisonnave added. French Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Patrick Maisonnave. (French Embassy in Saudi Arabia) He highlighted the agreement between CMA CGM and the Red Sea Gateway Terminal to develop and operate Terminal 4 at Jeddah Port as a perfect example of this commitment. It combines the expertise of a major French group with a global footprint and Saudi Arabia’s ambition to strengthen its position as a key logistics hub - a strategic role connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, the importance of which was clearly demonstrated during the crisis in the Strait of Hormuz, said the ambassador. “In the realm of urban transport, the contract awarded to Alstom to supply additional metro trains for Riyadh follows the same logic: leveraging French expertise to support the Kingdom’s major infrastructure projects,” he continued. “I am also very pleased with the growing momentum of this dynamic. The entertainment project planned by Qiddiya in the Paris region is a powerful signal in this regard; for us, it serves as further proof of confidence in France’s ability to attract such projects,” stressed Maisonnave. Future technologies The ambassador also said it was “crucial” to strengthen the partnership in future technologies. “The strategic collaboration announced between HUMAIN and Mistral AI is a prime example of this,” he noted. “This partnership encompasses AI infrastructure, the development of advanced models, and the deployment of solutions tailored to the Kingdom’s needs, with the aim of developing high-performance, sovereign capabilities in the Arabic language.” In the energy sector, the ambassador said: “We are committed to enhancing the stability of global energy markets and ensuring security of supply. We will strengthen our strategic cooperation in the oil and petrochemical sectors, sustainable power generation, energy efficiency, renewable energy, energy storage, clean hydrogen, and peaceful nuclear energy.” The outcomes of the French-Saudi investment roundtable, held during the Crown Prince’s visit to Paris, underscore the growing economic ties between the two countries. The event brought together private sector representatives to exchange views on opportunities across various key sectors. “The approximately 20 agreements and memoranda of understanding announced on this occasion attest to the deepening ties between our companies,” said Maisonnave.
