French President to Visit Saudi Arabia in December

France's President Emmanuel Macron holds the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise (Dictionary of the French Academy), which is the official dictionary of the French language during the solemn session of presentation, in Paris on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron holds the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise (Dictionary of the French Academy), which is the official dictionary of the French language during the solemn session of presentation, in Paris on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
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French President to Visit Saudi Arabia in December

France's President Emmanuel Macron holds the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise (Dictionary of the French Academy), which is the official dictionary of the French language during the solemn session of presentation, in Paris on November 14, 2024. (AFP)
France's President Emmanuel Macron holds the 9th edition of the Dictionnaire de l'Academie Francaise (Dictionary of the French Academy), which is the official dictionary of the French language during the solemn session of presentation, in Paris on November 14, 2024. (AFP)

The Elysee Palace announced on Friday that French President Emmanuel Macron will carry out a state visit to Saudi Arabia in early December at the invitation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister.

The visit, between December 2 and 4, will be an opportunity for both sides to bolster the partnership between Saudi Arabia and France, said the Elysee.

Crown Prince Mohammed and Macron held telephone talks on Thursday to discuss regional developments and efforts to restore security and stability.

They also discussed bilateral affairs and cooperation in several fields, said official sources.

A Saudi official delegation, including the ministers of foreign affairs, culture and investment, is currently in Paris to participate in the meeting of the joint Saudi-French committee to develop the AlUla province.

Advisor to the French President for the Middle East and North Africa Anne-Claire Legendre was in Riyadh this month for talks on the Middle East and bilateral relations.

Crown Prince Mohammed had visited France in June 2023 to bolster bilateral ties and to hold talks on “challenges to regional instability,” as well as international affairs, such as the war on Ukraine and its impact on the world.

Macron, for his part, has visited Saudi Arabia in 2017, 2018 and 2021.

French sources hailed the relations between France and the Kingdom, underscoring the latter’s role on regional, Arab and international levels, highlighting Riyadh's hosting this week of the Arab-Islamic summit.

They said Israel’s war on Gaza and Lebanon, regional tensions, and the security of the Gulf will be discussed by Crown Prince Mohammed and Macron.



El-Khereiji to Burhan: Saudi Arabia Keen on Sudan’s Stability

Sudanese army commander and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji in Port Sudan. (Transitional Sovereignty Council on X)
Sudanese army commander and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji in Port Sudan. (Transitional Sovereignty Council on X)
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El-Khereiji to Burhan: Saudi Arabia Keen on Sudan’s Stability

Sudanese army commander and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji in Port Sudan. (Transitional Sovereignty Council on X)
Sudanese army commander and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan meets with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji in Port Sudan. (Transitional Sovereignty Council on X)

Sudanese army commander and head of the Transitional Sovereignty Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan held talks in Port Sudan on Saturday with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim El-Khereiji, who was in Sudan on a short visit.

The talks in the interim capital focused on relations between Saudi Arabia and Sudan and means to bolster them.

The Kingdom is keen on ensuring that security and stability are restored in Sudan, local media quoted El-Khereiji as saying.

Authorities in Port Sudan did not issue an official statement following their meeting.

El-Khereiji had previously said Saudi Arabia was tirelessly working on resolving the crisis in Sudan.

Ending the crisis starts with a halt in the fighting and bolstering the humanitarian response, he went on to say.

This will pave the way for a political future that guarantees the country’s security, stability and territorial integrity and stops foreign meddling, he added.