French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS) to Paris on August 23 for a two-day visit focused on esports and regional security discussions [1, 2, 3]. The visit opened with MBS attending the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup, held for the first time outside Saudi Arabia. The event featured competitions in video games and chess, and has been strongly backed by the Saudi crown prince [1, 2, 3].
This is MBS’s third visit to Paris since 2021 and his first trip abroad since Saudi Arabia signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement with Turkey and Pakistan on August 7. That pact binds the three countries to consider any armed attack on one as an attack on all three [3].
On August 24, France and Saudi Arabia plan to sign multiple agreements covering health, transport, and energy sectors [1, 2, 3]. Macron and MBS will also co-chair the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French strategic partnership council that day [1, 3].
Key topics expected during their talks include regional security issues such as the ongoing Iran conflict, the Israel-Gaza war, and instability in Lebanon and Syria [1, 2, 3]. Officials also foresee discussions on new energy routes bypassing the Strait of Hormuz, with proposed pipelines, capacity expansions, and alternative port networks [3].
France views the visit as a way to foster stability and peace in the Middle East through close coordination with Gulf allies [1, 3]. While Saudi-French ties remain close amid ongoing regional conflicts, it is unclear whether sensitive issues like the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi will come up during discussions [1].
