Bilateral relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic are characterized by development and growth in various political, economic, cultural and defense fields. The views and visions of the two friendly countries coincide on many common issues.
The relationship is of particular importance in the light of the accelerating international and regional changes that require an exchange of views and an agreement of positions between the Kingdom and friendly countries, among which France occupies a privileged position.
The Saudi-French archive is replete with images of the development partnership and enduring friendship between the two countries moving forward with strength and resilience and recording pioneering and sustained steps in various fields.
Over the past six decades, historical and cultural relations between the two countries have witnessed continuous cooperation in various fields, and the two countries are committed to strengthening cooperation in these areas, especially in the development of museums, the film industry and heritage. for the sustainable development of the Al-Ula region, through which France contributes to supporting the cultural and tourist development of these areas. The area is full of potential.
The policy of the two friendly countries, led by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – God bless him – and His Excellency the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, aims to promote security, stability and peace in the world as a whole and in the region in particular .
France is interested in partnering with the Kingdom and considers it a “close ally” playing a key role in maintaining regional security, peace and stability, so the French leadership is consulting with the leadership of the Kingdom on current issues and crises and ways to overcome them.
The Kingdom is cooperating with France in efforts to combat terrorism in all its forms, forms and motives and this reflects the Kingdom’s $100 million contribution to the “Coalition of the Coast” to combat terrorism.
The views of the Saudi and French sides coincide on many issues, including the importance of political and economic reforms in Lebanon as an international requirement to achieve the security, stability and prosperity of Lebanon away from foreign interference, the importance of making efforts to maintain security and stability in the Middle East , the need for joint action and the strengthening of communication and consultation on issues emerging in the region.
French President Emmanuel Macron believes that the exclusion of the Kingdom from the negotiations on the Iranian nuclear deal in 2015 was a serious mistake regarding the Kingdom and its security and regional security, while supporting efforts and initiatives aimed at strengthening regional stability and preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Signs of relations between the Kingdom and France began in 1926 when France sent a consul to the Kingdom in charge of French affairs and then established a legation in Jeddah in 1932.
Steps to establish relations continued as they entered a new and distinct phase after the visit of King Faisal bin Abdulaziz to France in 1967 and his meeting with French President Charles de Gaulle. common interests of the two countries and their friendly peoples.
The history of relations between the two countries is marked by the exchange of visits between the leaders of the two countries and their high-ranking officials, who formed links in the chain of documenting and developing relations and coordinating efforts in the common interests of the region and the two friendly countries. peoples.
In 1986 AD, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – God bless him – when he was governor of the Riyadh region, and His Excellency the President of France – at the time – Jacques Chirac opened the Kingdom Exhibition between yesterday and today in Paris, where visitors learned about the Kingdom’s past, traditions and values, religious and civilizational, modern growth and gigantic achievements.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud – God bless him – visited the French Republic in 1997 and signed a pact of cooperation and friendship between the cities of Riyadh and Paris with Paris Mayor Jean Leary.
In continuation and strengthening of this outstanding relationship, witnessed by two friendly countries, the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, God bless him, to France in 2018 ad; Strengthen these relations and move them forward in line with joint development programs and projects in line with the Kingdom Vision 2030, as well as in the areas of existing investment partnership and diversification of the economic base.
The visit of His Highness the Crown Prince to France in 2018 was marked by the signing of 19 protocols of agreements between French and Saudi companies totaling more than $18 billion, which included industries such as petrochemicals and water treatment, in addition to tourism, culture, healthcare and agriculture.
On the other hand, His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Crown Prince, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense – God bless him – received in December 2021 the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, where they held a meeting of formal negotiations, in which examined the historical and strategic relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Republic. They stressed the importance of strengthening joint action and pushing bilateral relations towards closer and more constructive cooperation based on trust and common interests, taking into account the strategic partnership between the two countries towards new and promising horizons.
On the sidelines of the visit, the two countries signed a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding in the fields (culture, tourism, digital technology and space), as well as an agreement to establish a French cultural center (Villa Al-Hajar) in Al-Ula governorate, as well as to create an enterprise for production of aircraft structures (military industry) and maintenance of aircraft airframes.
During the visit, the President of the French Republic also praised the green initiatives of Saudi Arabia and the green Middle East and stressed the importance of cooperation for the implementation of these initiatives. France and Saudi Arabia are also exploring the possibilities of developing clean hydrogen production in the Kingdom. , in addition to its various uses to participate in the transformation of the economy into a greenhouse gas-free economy.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic emphasize the importance of adhering to the principles of the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, as well as the need to develop and implement climate agreements with a focus on emissions without sources, including through a circular Approach to the carbon economy as an integrated and comprehensive framework for addressing the problem of emissions from global warming.
Both sides emphasize the importance of cooperation between the two countries to explore the development of clean hydrogen production in the Kingdom, in addition to its various uses, to participate in the transformation of the economy into a greenhouse gas-free economy and energy transformation at the global level.
The mutual visits of the military and security personnel of the two countries testify to the convergence of political views and the strengthening of security and military cooperation between them. Cooperation in this field is represented in the security training and arming of land, sea and air forces in the Kingdom, where the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic signed in 1429 AH an agreement on security in the field of security and defense forces.
In the economic sphere, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has welcomed the increased cooperation of French companies in sectors under the Kingdom Vision 2030, including energy, water and waste management, sustainable cities, transport, civil aviation, mobility solutions, digital economy, and healthcare. France also wants to attract Saudi investment in the public and private sectors, especially in the sectors of new technologies, new companies and future industries, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia seeks to increase Saudi private sector investment in the French market.
The Kingdom and France have a strong relationship in the field of energy, which is represented in many projects in the field of oil refining, petrochemical production, electric power and renewable energy, “plant and electrical network security, service and exchange reliability”. experience in the field of electrical connections.
The number of French companies investing in the Kingdom increased from 259 in 2019 to 336 in 2022, and the two countries worked to strengthen bilateral investment relations and build long-term partnerships between the Kingdom and France private sector and expand them by signing a memorandum of understanding between “National Company Leadership Program” in the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia and the program (Business France).
There are many joint Saudi-French projects, most notably the SATORP joint refinery between Saudi Aramco and France’s Total Energy, and a French (EDF) renewable energy company that is leading a coalition to develop a wind farm project in Dumat al-Jandal province. . and other logistics partnerships, including Capital Metro Company (JV Kamco) in Riyadh.
French companies operate in the sectors of transport, aviation, oil, energy production, renewable energy, water supply, waste recycling and construction, and are currently focused on a number of sectors in the Kingdom, such as: digital economy, artificial intelligence, culture, hospitality, agricultural technology and biotechnology, health.
The volume of trade exchange between the Kingdom and France in 2021 was $7.155 billion, with the Kingdom ranked 32nd in the list of countries from which France imports $3.915 billion, and the Kingdom ranked 53rd in the list of countries. obtaining French exports in the amount of 3.240 billion dollars.
Metal products, organic chemical products, aluminum and aluminum products, and plastics and aluminum products are the most important commodities that the Kingdom exports to France, while pharmaceutical products, essential oils and cosmetics, automobiles and their parts, machinery and machine tools and their parts are the most important goods that the Kingdom imports from France.
The Kingdom sees the French market as one of the important global markets for Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports, and this is reflected in the Kingdom’s export growth to France from $3.2 billion to $4.2 billion between 2017 and 2019.
The two countries have expanded the scope of cooperation between universities, technical colleges, think tanks and research centers in the Kingdom and France, in addition to cooperation in research, development and innovation. There are 996 people in the French Republic, while the number of French students studying in the Kingdom is currently 259.
The current visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince, God bless him, to the French Republic follows the visit of His Excellency the President of the French Republic, Mr. countries and the efforts made to move bilateral relations into wider horizons.
During the visit, both countries seek to agree on positions between the Kingdom and France regarding the latest developments in the Middle East and the countries of the African Sahel, especially regarding Iran’s destabilizing behavior regarding security and stability in the region, its nuclear and missile programs. and the latest regional and international events.