Macron hosts Saudi crown prince for deals and Middle East talks

Emmanuel Macron welcomed Mohammed bin Salman to Paris on Sunday for a two‑day visit that combined a high‑profile esports ceremony with a series of commercial agreements and discussions on the Middle East.

The French side said health, transport and energy pacts will be signed on Monday, while the agenda is expected to turn to Iran and broader regional stability. The meeting follows a previous Macron‑Saudi encounter in July 2022 and marks the crown prince’s first trip abroad in almost a year.

Esports ceremony sets a lighter tone

The opening night took place at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, an event that brings together top gamers from titles ranging from video games to chess. FIFA president Gianni Infantino was also present. Macron mingled with players, handed out trophies and highlighted that the tournament is being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time, underscoring Paris’s push to showcase the country as a hub for digital sport.

"The fact that he chose France for this visit is an important signal and testifies to the depth and dynamism of the Franco‑Saudi relationship," said a French presidential official.

Protests and human‑rights concerns

Three journalists’ unions, SNJ‑CGT, CFDT‑Journalistes and SGJ‑FO, staged a protest, reminding the public of a French investigation into alleged torture and forced disappearance linked to the 2021 complaint over the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. The unions described the visit as a provocation for defenders of media freedom.

Human‑rights groups have long criticised Saudi Arabia for the 2018 murder of Khashoggi, a case in which US intelligence concluded the crown prince was directly involved. The criticism adds a diplomatic wrinkle to the otherwise business‑focused agenda.

On Monday, Macron and the crown prince will chair the inaugural meeting of the Saudi‑French strategic partnership council, a forum intended to coordinate on regional issues and deepen economic cooperation. The outcome could shape future French involvement in Gulf affairs, influence European approaches to Iran, and potentially pave the way for projects such as a Saudi‑backed theme park in the Val‑d'Oise region outside Paris.

Analysts will watch whether the agreements signed in Paris translate into tangible trade flows and whether the diplomatic dialogue eases tensions in a region already strained by the US‑Israeli conflict.

For background on the Iran angle, see Iran‑linked hackers forced UK energy generator offline for four days.