ALBAWABA- Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman and French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday chaired the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council in Paris, marking a new institutional phase in relations between Riyadh and Paris as the Middle East faces mounting security and economic pressures.
The meeting took place during Mohammed bin Salman’s official visit to France at Macron’s invitation. The two leaders signed the minutes of the council’s first meeting and witnessed the exchange of a series of agreements and memoranda covering defense, investment, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, culture, tourism and economic cooperation. Macron said the visit represented an important step in strengthening bilateral ties and reaffirmed the two countries’ commitment to peace and regional stability.
Among the agreements was an extension and amendment of the Saudi-French agreement governing the development of AlUla, covering cultural, environmental, tourism, human, economic and heritage projects. The expanded agreement extends bilateral cooperation on AlUla until 2035 and includes archaeology, heritage preservation, tourism, training, innovation and sustainable development. France has been a key partner in Saudi Arabia’s long-term effort to transform AlUla into a major international cultural and tourism destination.
The two countries also signed a declaration of intent between Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense and France’s Ministry for the Armed Forces and Veterans’ Affairs to strengthen their defense partnership. The cooperation is expected to include emerging defense technologies, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, military training and education, and the development of defense-industrial capabilities.
The broader package reflects Riyadh’s strategy of diversifying its international partnerships while pursuing major economic transformation projects under Vision 2030. One of the most prominent announcements was a €6 billion Saudi-backed Qiddiya project near Paris, involving three theme parks, accommodation and other facilities and expected to create about 22,000 jobs. Other agreements covered Riyadh Metro expansion, ports, nuclear technology, artificial intelligence, aviation, mining and investment financing.
Against the backdrop of escalating regional tensions, the meeting comes as Saudi Arabia faces renewed security pressure from the Houthis in Yemen, who on Monday claimed a ballistic-missile attack on a vessel off the Saudi Red Sea port of Yanbu. The Houthis said the attack was part of their declared blockade of Saudi maritime traffic, while the vessel’s crew was reported safe.
Saudi Arabia and France used the visit to discuss wider regional crises, including Iran, Lebanon, Syria and maritime security. In a joint statement, Riyadh and Paris called for diplomacy over Iran and stressed the importance of freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, while reaffirming their broader positions on Palestinian statehood and regional stability.
