The Saudi Crown Prince, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, met with French President Emmanuel Macron in the French capital, Paris, on Friday. They reviewed the historical and strategic relations between the two countries and explored ways to develop them across various fields to serve the interests of both nations and their friendly peoples. They also exchanged views on developments in international and regional events and coordinated their joint efforts regarding these matters.
The Crown Prince and the French President held an extensive bilateral meeting attended by Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah, Culture Minister Prince Badr bin Abdullah bin Farhan, Minister of State and Member of the Council of Ministers Mohammed bin Abdulmalik Al Sheikh, Finance Minister Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Jadaan, Governor of the Public Investment Fund Yasser bin Othman Al-Rumman, Crown Prince Secretary Bandar bin Obaid Al-Rasheed, and the Saudi Ambassador to France Fahd Al-Ruwaili. The French side was represented by Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Catherine Colonna, French Ambassador to the Kingdom Ludovic Pouille, Secretary General of the Presidency Alexis Kohler, Chief of Staff of the Air Forces General Fabien Mandon, Diplomatic Advisor Emmanuel Bonne, North Africa and Middle East Advisor Patrick Durel, and Export and Trade Policy Advisor Victoire Vandendriessche.
Following their meeting, Macron emphasized the need to tackle climate change and the importance of the upcoming summit in building bridges between countries across different continents, particularly in combating poverty, financing energy transition, and enhancing resilience against the impacts of climate change. He stressed the leading role that Saudi Arabia could play in this regard.
Macron expressed deep concern over the aggressive war launched by Russia in Ukraine and its catastrophic impact on civilians and implications for food security. He also emphasized the necessity of finding a resolution to the conflict and enhancing cooperation to mitigate its effects in Europe, the Middle East, and the world.
Both the French President and the Crown Prince expressed their joint commitment to the security and stability of the Middle East and North Africa and their desire to continue their mutual efforts to achieve a lasting de-escalation of tensions. They stressed the urgent need to end the political institutional vacuum in Lebanon, which is a major obstacle to resolving the serious social and economic crisis. Macron reaffirmed France's commitment to the security and stability of Saudi Arabia and its readiness to support the Kingdom in strengthening its defense capabilities. He welcomed the strong economic relations between France and Saudi Arabia, recalling the interest of French companies in continuing to support the Kingdom in implementing its ambitious Vision 2030. Macron praised the recognized expertise of French companies, particularly in the fields of energy transition, transport, health, and modern technology. He welcomed Saudi Arabia's desire to increase its investments in French industrial and productive infrastructure.
Earlier, the Royal Court announced that, upon the directive of King Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman departed for Paris on an official visit to meet with the French President. The French presidency revealed that Macron would discuss the war in Ukraine with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, among other issues.
Prince Mohammed bin Salman is leading the Saudi delegation participating in the summit for a Global Financial Pact scheduled to be held in Paris on the 22nd and 23rd of this month. He will also take part in the official reception for Saudi Arabia's bid to host Expo 2030. Diplomatic sources accompanying the summit confirmed that "the direction is to support the Lebanese in choosing young political leaders who can take up the highest positions and meet the challenges facing the region."
