Emmanuel Macron is traveling to Saudi Arabia this Monday for a three-day state visit at the invitation of Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman (MBS). Update on the busy schedule of the President of the Republic.
Three days to strengthen cooperation between Paris and Riyadh. On a state visit to Saudi Arabia, starting this Monday, December 2 and until Wednesday, Emmanuel Macron faces a busy schedule, between international diplomacy and economic cooperation.
Thus, the Élysée confirmed that the French president would land in Riyadh this Monday at the end of the day. After an official formal welcome, political talks will take place between the heads of state and some of their ministers before a working dinner.
During this first evening, the sensitive issue of security in the Middle East region – notably the war waged by Israel against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon – will be widely studied. It will be a moment to try to find solutions to bring peace to the region and more broadly to the world.
The next morning, Emmanuel Macron will be expected on line 4 of the Riyadh aerial metro, very recently inaugurated and which has seen the participation of many French companies. The French head of state will then chair the One Planet plenary session, aiming to maintain the fight against climate change and the protection of nature at the highest political level.
Lunch time will be dedicated to culture, in the presence of Saudi players in the sector, but also French ministers Jean-Noël Barrot and Rachida Dati.
Subsequently, Emmanuel Macron will go to the Franco-Saudi Business Forum, inaugurated the same morning, and will present the bilateral economic ambitions emerging from the day's work.
Culture at the heart of this visit
The One Water Summit, launched at the initiative of France and Kazakhstan in parallel with Cop 16 on desertification, will also be held in Riyadh on Tuesday December 3.
This day will conclude with a one-on-one dinner between Crown Prince MBS and Emmanuel Macron, who cultivate strong personal ties, as recalled by the Élysée.
Finally, during the last day of his state visit, Wednesday December 4, Emmanuel Macron will visit the al-Ula archaeological site. The French president will meet the players in Franco-Saudi cooperation led by former minister Jean-Yves Le Drian.
Emmanuel Macron will subsequently visit the construction site of the Villa Hegra project, for which he will lay the first stone. This villa must accommodate artists and be the place for signing contracts and agreements.
The French president will then return to France. The Élysée clarified that this program was still subject to modification and that the list of members of the French delegation would only be known in the days to come.
