Global Focus

The recent official visit of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman to Paris and his meeting with France’s youthful leader, Emmanuel Macron, seems to have sealed that “new partnership” both countries were seeking. Have they found new strategic partners in each other? The French combination of soft and hard power appeals to the Saudis and 14 billion euros-worth of deals, to begin with, means the business community is on board. “Saudi Arabia’s ties with France go back nearly a century as diplomatic relations were first established in 1926. And matters that impact France are likely to impact Saudi Arabia and vice-versa. And you will find among the Saudis a great deal of respect for French companies, their brands and their products.”Khalid Al Falih, Saudi Arabia’s minister of energy, industry and mineral resources - and former CEO of Aramco, the national oil company - set the tone for Saudi-French relations and trade ties while addressing a gathering of government officials and businessmen from both countries organised