Saudi Crown Prince's France Visits Yield Billions in Agreements, Deepen Ties Since 2015

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman's current state visit to France represents the ninth official trip exchanged between the leaders of Saudi Arabia and France since 2015. An analysis of official sources reveals that the Crown Prince has visited France six times officially since 2015, including the present trip. French President Emmanuel Macron has made three official visits to Saudi Arabia since taking office in 2017.

The relationship has seen significant engagement since 2015. Mohammed bin Salman's first official trip to France was in June 2015, where he met then-President François Hollande and led the Saudi delegation at the inaugural meeting of the Saudi-French Permanent Coordinating Committee. This trip resulted in the signing of 10 agreements valued at $12 billion.

Subsequent visits have deepened cooperation. In June 2016, talks centered on bilateral ties and Saudi Vision 2030, alongside Middle East developments and regional security. The relationship broadened economic cooperation, with Saudi Arabia's transformation plans becoming a central theme, alongside political and defense coordination. The third Saudi-French Business Opportunities Forum also took place during this period.

President Macron's first visit to Saudi Arabia was in November 2017, where discussions covered regional stability, counterterrorism, and peace efforts. He also voiced France's solidarity with the Kingdom following a Houthi missile attack on Riyadh. Further high-level meetings in 2018 and 2021 focused on political, economic, defense, and cultural ties, regional issues, Lebanon, Yemen, Iran, and counterterrorism. Agreements signed during these visits, such as the one for developing AlUla, and business deals worth over $18 billion, highlight the substantial economic and strategic partnership.