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Nine Riyadh-Paris Visits Chart Path from Coordination to Strategic Partnership

Mohammed bin Salman and Macron during the French president’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024 (AP) 
Mohammed bin Salman and Macron during the French president’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024 (AP) 
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Nine Riyadh-Paris Visits Chart Path from Coordination to Strategic Partnership

Mohammed bin Salman and Macron during the French president’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024 (AP) 
Mohammed bin Salman and Macron during the French president’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024 (AP) 

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman’s current state visit to France marks the ninth official visit exchanged between the Saudi and French leaders since 2015, according to an Asharq Al-Awsat review of official sources.

The crown prince has traveled to France six times on official visits since 2015, including the current trip, while French President Emmanuel Macron has made three official visits to Saudi Arabia since taking office in 2017.

2015: First Visit

Mohammed bin Salman made his first official trip to France in June 2015, meeting then-President François Hollande at the Élysée Palace.

He also led the Saudi delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Permanent Coordinating Committee. The trip saw the signing of 10 agreements worth a total of $12 billion.

2016: Vision 2030 Joins the Agenda

Mohammed bin Salman returned to Paris in June 2016, meeting Hollande and other senior French officials.

Talks centered on developing bilateral ties and cooperation under Saudi Vision 2030, unveiled by the Kingdom two months earlier, as well as developments in the Middle East and efforts to bolster regional security and stability.

The trip broadened economic cooperation, placing Saudi Arabia’s transformation and diversification plans at the heart of discussions alongside political and defense coordination.

Several agreements and memorandums of understanding were signed, while the third Saudi-French Business Opportunities Forum brought together companies and business leaders to explore investment opportunities.

2017: Macron Makes First Saudi Trip

Macron traveled to Saudi Arabia on Nov. 9, 2017, months after taking office.

He met Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh for talks on regional stability, counterterrorism and peace efforts, according to the French presidency.

The French leader also condemned a Houthi ballistic missile attack targeting Riyadh and voiced his country’s solidarity with the Kingdom.

2018: Three Days in France, AlUla Agreement

In April 2018, Mohammed bin Salman traveled to France for the first time since becoming crown prince and for the third time since 2015.

During the three-day trip, he held wide-ranging discussions with Macron covering political, economic, defense and cultural ties, as well as regional issues.

The two countries signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation to develop AlUla, while Saudi and French companies concluded 19 agreements worth more than $18 billion.

2021: Macron in Jeddah

Macron returned to Saudi Arabia in December 2021 for talks with Mohammed bin Salman in Jeddah.

Discussions focused on regional security and stability and ways to expand the bilateral partnership under Vision 2030, alongside Lebanon, Yemen, Iran and counterterrorism.

Riyadh and Paris also sought to broaden economic and investment cooperation, particularly in new technologies, future industries, renewable energy, culture and tourism.

2022: Energy and Global Crises

Mohammed bin Salman traveled to France again in July 2022, meeting Macron at the Élysée Palace as the Russia-Ukraine war weighed on global energy markets and food security.

Their discussions covered diversifying energy supplies to Europe and mitigating the impact of the food crisis, as well as developments in Lebanon and Yemen and Iran’s nuclear program.

Riyadh and Paris agreed to deepen cooperation in defense, energy, digital transformation, transport, sustainable cities and culture. France also renewed its support for Riyadh’s bid to host Expo 2030.

2023: A Broader Partnership

Mohammed bin Salman’s fifth official trip to France came in the summer of 2023, when he held bilateral and expanded talks with Macron at the Élysée Palace.

The leaders discussed bilateral ties and regional and international developments.

The crown prince also headed the Saudi delegation to the Summit for a New Global Financing Pact and attended an official reception promoting Riyadh’s Expo 2030 bid.

The trip reflected the widening scope of Saudi-French ties, extending beyond politics and defense to climate action, the global economy, investment and culture.

2024: Strategic Partnership

Macron traveled to Saudi Arabia for a third time from Dec. 2 to 4, 2024, on a state visit encompassing Riyadh and AlUla.

The trip saw the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two countries and the signing of a memorandum of understanding to create the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council, an umbrella framework for cooperation in politics, defense, the economy, culture, energy and technology.

Macron also attended an investment forum bringing together more than 200 Saudi and French companies and took part in the One Water Summit in Riyadh before traveling to AlUla in northern Saudi Arabia.

2026: Ninth Visit

Mohammed bin Salman’s current state visit to France is his sixth official trip to the country since 2015 and brings the total number of official visits exchanged between the two countries’ leaders to nine.

Macron has traveled to Saudi Arabia three times since becoming president in 2017.

 

 

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Gulf

Pakistan Says Makkah Alliance to Discuss Houthi Attacks at Emergency Riyadh Meeting

The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Makkah Agreement in Istanbul (Saudi Ministry of Defense). 
The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Makkah Agreement in Istanbul (Saudi Ministry of Defense). 
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Pakistan Says Makkah Alliance to Discuss Houthi Attacks at Emergency Riyadh Meeting

The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Makkah Agreement in Istanbul (Saudi Ministry of Defense). 
The first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the Makkah Agreement in Istanbul (Saudi Ministry of Defense). 

Pakistani Foreign Minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar announced that the Strategic Political and Defense Committee of the Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye will hold an emergency meeting in Riyadh next week to discuss Houthi attacks on the Kingdom.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, Dar said the committee would determine the next steps at the meeting, adding that more than six countries had expressed interest in joining the Makkah alliance, according to Reuters.

In a statement carried by Reuters on Friday, the Pakistani military said its senior commanders had strongly condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, expressed solidarity with the Kingdom and reaffirmed their commitment to the security of Islam’s holy sites.

The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement, signed on Aug. 7 by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, stipulates that an armed attack against any one of its signatories shall be considered an attack against all three.

Any joint military response is subject to an assessment by the member states, particularly the country under attack, taking into account the need for such action, the nature and severity of the attack, the level of threat and the contributions required from each party to achieve the intended integration of their efforts.

Istanbul hosted the first meeting of the agreement’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee on Aug. 31, bringing together the foreign and defense ministers and military chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan.

During the meeting, the three countries reaffirmed their determination to work together under the Makkah agreement to achieve sustainable peace and stability in their region and continue supporting efforts to promote de-escalation and restraint. They encouraged peaceful solutions to crises in line with their commitment to fulfilling their regional responsibilities.

The three countries’ foreign ministers subsequently met in New York on Sept. 24 to review progress toward establishing the agreement’s general secretariat, committees and working groups, as well as preparations for the launch of their activities.

The ministers also condemned attacks targeting Makkah and civilian and economic facilities in Saudi Arabia, stressing the Kingdom’s right to take whatever measures it deemed appropriate to defend its security under Article 51 of the UN Charter.

On Sept. 25, the three countries’ military chiefs of staff met in Riyadh to review the security situation and attacks against Saudi Arabia. They condemned the strikes targeting Makkah and the Kingdom’s civilian and economic infrastructure.

Participants also discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation among their armed forces, develop intelligence cooperation, enhance military coordination and integrate their capabilities to bolster deterrence and collective defense.

 

 

Gulf

UAE: Flydubai Co-Pilot Attempted Terrorist Attack

FILE PHOTO: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
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UAE: Flydubai Co-Pilot Attempted Terrorist Attack

FILE PHOTO: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A plane, carrying passengers who were on the FlyDubai aircraft bound for Israel from the United Arab Emirates, which was diverted to Saudi Arabia following an emergency signal, arrives at the Ben Gurion International Airport, in Lod, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. REUTERS/Ammar Awad/File Photo

The United Arab Emirates Attorney-General said investigations into the incident aboard flydubai flight FZ1073 revealed that the co-pilot attempted to carry out a terrorist act, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported on Saturday.

The co-pilot began executing his plan during the flight, attacking the captain inside the cockpit using a crash axe and attempting to take control of the aircraft, the Attorney-General added.

He assured that investigations are ongoing to establish the full circumstances, motives, and any links related to the incident, as well as to complete technical examinations and analysis of physical and digital evidence.

The final results will be announced upon the conclusion of all necessary procedures, he assured.

The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv came close to disaster on Wednesday morning when the attacker stabbed the captain.

Passengers told interviewers that the captain, who was seriously wounded, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing a group of passengers and crew members to overpower the attacker. Two reserve pilots who were also on board then managed to regain control of the aircraft, stabilize it, and land safely.

Gulf

Saudi Civil Defense: Houthi Missile Shrapnel Injures Resident, Damages Property in Aseer

Saudi Civil Defense says Houthi missile shrapnel injures resident, damages property in Aseer. (SPA)
Saudi Civil Defense says Houthi missile shrapnel injures resident, damages property in Aseer. (SPA)
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Saudi Civil Defense: Houthi Missile Shrapnel Injures Resident, Damages Property in Aseer

Saudi Civil Defense says Houthi missile shrapnel injures resident, damages property in Aseer. (SPA)
Saudi Civil Defense says Houthi missile shrapnel injures resident, damages property in Aseer. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Civil Defense stated that Civil Defense teams in Ahad Rafidah Governorate, Aseer Region, responded on Friday, October 2, to falling shrapnel from a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia following its interception and destruction.

The falling shrapnel injured an Asian expatriate resident and caused material damage to a prayer room inside a building, as well as several civilian vehicles, the Saudi Press Agency said.

Approved emergency procedures were immediately implemented at the site.