The diplomatic relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic dates back to 1926, with the appointment of France’s first consul to the Kingdom. Following the unification of the Kingdom in 1932, France was among the first nations to establish formal diplomatic relations, inaugurating a diplomatic mission in Jeddah in 1936.
Strengthening Saudi-French Relations
The year 1926 witnessed the first official Saudi delegation to France, led by King Faisal (then Viceroy of Hejaz) to Paris. Since then, the Kingdom and France have fortified their bilateral relations across various domains, including political, economic, cultural, and defense. These relations hold particular significance in light of accelerating global and regional changes necessitating coordinated positions between the two nations.
Official Visits by Saudi Leadership to France
King Faisal Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud: 1967 and 1970.
King Khalid Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud: 1978 and 1981.
King Fahd Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud: 1987 and 1989.
King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (as Governor of Riyadh): 1986 and 1997.
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud: 2007.
Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud: 2018, 2022, and 2023.
Official Visits by French Leadership to Saudi Arabia
President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing: 1979.
President François Mitterrand: 1981 and 1990.
President Jacques Chirac: 1997, 2001, and 2006.
President Nicolas Sarkozy: 2008 and 2009.
President François Hollande: 2015.
President Emmanuel Macron: 2021 and 2024.
Development of Saudi-French Relations
The Kingdom and France are strategically allied nations with a bilateral relationship. Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman oversees the permanent Saudi-French Coordination Committee. The cooperation between the two countries includes security training and the arming of the Kingdom's land, naval, and air forces. In 2008, both countries signed a security agreement in the field of security forces and defense.
The Saudi-French Parliamentary Friendship Committee in the Shura Council also plays a role in enhancing cooperation and joint efforts.
Cultural collaboration between the two countries has been significant. In 2010, the "Roads of Arabia" exhibition was inaugurated at the Louvre Museum, and in 2012, Saudi Cultural Days were held at UNESCO in Paris, showcasing the Kingdom’s history since its founding, as well as the cultural and scientific renaissance that has developed in the Kingdom.
Archaeological cooperation began in 2001 with the signing of the first protocol for excavations at al-Hijr in Mada'in Salih. Currently, around 15 Saudi-French archaeological missions are active across various regions in the Kingdom, including Al-Bad’, Jabal al-Jamal, Farasan Islands, Hima, Thaj, and al-Ula, under the leadership of the French National Center for Scientific Research.
As a reflection of the distinguished relationship between Saudi Arabia and France, the Royal Commission for AlUla signed a historic intergovernmental agreement in 2018 as part of the ambitious development project for al-Ula.
Both countries also share strong cultural and educational links, with collaborations between universities, technical colleges, and research institutions. By 2022, the total number of Saudi students sent to the French Republic reached 996, while the number of French students studying in the Kingdom was 259.
In 2024, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed in Riyadh to establish the Saudi-French Strategic Partnership Council.
Economic Cooperation Between Saudi Arabia and France
The Kingdom and France enjoy strong economic ties. The first Saudi-French Business Opportunities Forum is considered the largest Saudi-French economic gathering, addressing economic, investment, and trade cooperation between the two nations. The forum addresses enhancing cooperation in several key sectors.
The bilateral relations between the Kingdom and France continued to develop, marked by the visit of Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman to France in 2018, nineteen agreements were signed between Saudi and French companies, with a total value exceeding $18 billion. These agreements covered sectors such as petrochemicals, water treatment, tourism, culture, health, and agriculture.
The flourishing economic relations contributed to an increase in trade volume between the Kingdom and France in 2021, reaching $7.155 billion. The Kingdom ranked 32nd among countries importing from France, with imports valued at $3.915 billion, and 53rd among countries receiving French exports, with exports valued at $3.240 billion.
With the development of relations between the two countries, the number of French companies investing in the Kingdom increased from 259 in 2019 to 336 in 2022. Several joint Saudi-French projects have been established, including the SATORP refinery, a partnership between Saudi Aramco and TotalEnergies, as well as EDF Renewables, which leads the consortium for the wind farm project in Dumat al-Jandal. Other partnerships include logistics projects, such as CAMCO JV.
In 2022, the trade volume between the Kingdom and France reached 43.3 billion SAR, achieving a 41 percent growth, driven by an 80 percent increase in Saudi exports to France. In the same year, the value of Saudi non-oil exports to France amounted to SAR 1.3 billion, while imports reached SAR 14.7 billion. Additionally, the Saudi Industrial Development Fund financed approximately 27 joint projects between the two countries in various industrial and mining sectors, with a total value of SAR 4.5 billion.
The expansion of investments led to an increase in the French-Saudi trade balance by more than 80 percent in 2022, reaching $11.5 billion. The total direct French investment in the Kingdom amounted to nearly $6 billion, and the number of French companies operating in the Kingdom rose by 43 percent since 2020.
Trade between the Kingdom and France continued to expand, with the Saudi-French Investment Forum in 2023 resulting in the signing of 24 memorandums of understanding and investment agreements valued at approximately $2.9 billion.
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