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Saudi Aramco Signs 5 Agreements with French Firms

Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin. Photo courtesy of Aramco website
Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin. Photo courtesy of Aramco website
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Saudi Aramco Signs 5 Agreements with French Firms

Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin. Photo courtesy of Aramco website
Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin. Photo courtesy of Aramco website

Saudi Aramco has signed five agreements with French companies, including an agreement to explore a hydrogen-powered vehicle business with Gaussin, the oil giant said in a statement on Saturday.

"The agreement between Aramco and Gaussin aims to establish a modern manufacturing facility for on-road and off-road hydrogen powered vehicles in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia," the statement added.

Other agreements have covered the areas of carbon capture technology, artificial intelligence and local manufacturing.

The agreements were signed during an event in Jeddah, organized by the Ministry of Investment to explore investment opportunities for French companies in Saudi Arabia.

The event was attended by Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al Falih and Franck Riester, Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness of France, along with Aramco President and CEO Amin H. Nasser.

“This partnership is a continuation of Aramco’s long-standing relationship with a number of leading French companies. It represents an opportunity to promote hydrogen as a low-carbon solution, not just for motorsport, but eventually for mass transportation as well,” said Nasser.

“Such collaboration helps us to advance economic growth in the Kingdom as part of the Namaat industrial investment program and takes us a step closer to our shared vision of a more sustainable future.”

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Saudi Arabia World Leader in Road Network Connectivity

The Road Safety and Sustainability Conference is held under the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow”. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Road Safety and Sustainability Conference is held under the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow”. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi Arabia World Leader in Road Network Connectivity

The Road Safety and Sustainability Conference is held under the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow”. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
The Road Safety and Sustainability Conference is held under the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow”. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Arabia ranks first globally in road network connectivity and has made significant strides, advancing to fourth place in road quality among G20 nations. These achievements are part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to enhance road safety, which have contributed to a nearly 50% reduction in traffic fatalities.
Saudi Minister of Transport and Logistics, Eng. Saleh Al-Jasser, announced these figures on Sunday, during his opening remarks at the Road Safety and Sustainability Conference under the theme “Innovating for Tomorrow,” attended by over 1,000 experts from 50 countries.
Al-Jasser highlighted that the Kingdom has implemented numerous initiatives to maintain the safety and quality of its road network. These include “the adoption of performance-based contracts to ensure transparency, optimize spending, and improve quality and service standards,” all in line with the objectives of the National Transport and Logistics Strategy under Vision 2030.
At a press conference on the sidelines of the event, acting CEO of the General Roads Authority, Eng. Badr Aldulami, shared that the Ministry of Transport oversees more than 75,000 kilometers of roads, while the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs is responsible for over 115,000 kilometers, totaling nearly 200,000 kilometers designed to meet the highest standards in execution, quality, and safety.
For his part, Eng. Abdullah Al-Mogbel, honorary president of the International Road Federation, emphasized Saudi Arabia’s longstanding partnership with the federation, which includes over 119 member countries. He noted that the Kingdom has co-organized five conferences with the federation, all focused on improving road safety, maintenance, and performance.
The General Authority for Roads’ spokesperson, Abdulaziz Al-Otaibi, noted that road fatalities have decreased from approximately 28 per 100,000 people in 2016 to 13 currently, with a target of reducing this to 5 by 2030. This progress has been achieved by adopting advanced technologies, methodologies, and large-scale projects, including the use of a global AI-powered fleet to survey the entire road network, assessing factors such as cracks, skid resistance, and road strength.
He further noted that the Kingdom aims to preserve the environment through asphalt recycling technologies, which have cut maintenance time by up to 40% and reduced carbon emissions.
The conference, spanning two days, will feature over 130 scientific papers and showcase approximately 27 innovations and modern technologies, focusing on innovative transportation solutions and government policies aimed at reducing emissions and seamlessly integrating green infrastructure to enhance road safety. The event also includes an exhibition featuring 20 entities showcasing the latest developments in artificial intelligence, intelligent transport systems, and sustainable transportation.