RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and France have maintained and strengthened a 100-year official relationship through partnerships in politics, economics, culture and defense, with numerous state visits exchanged.
Both countries focus heavily on diplomacy and foreign policy, sharing a mutual mission to seek security and regional stability.
Understanding the history of their ties means traveling back to 19th-century Jeddah, which marked the beginning of political relations between France and the Arabian Peninsula. These were anchored by the establishment of the Jeddah Consulate in 1839 as the region’s first French diplomatic post.
In 1926, full diplomatic relations officially began when France became one of the first countries to recognize the Kingdom of Hejaz and Najd before its unification in 1932. There were numerous exchange visits early on, when ways to advance cooperation on defense, energy, investment and culture were discussed.
Saudi-French relations entered a new phase following King Faisal bin Abdulaziz’s visit to France in 1967 and his meeting with then-French president, Charles de Gaulle. The landmark visit broadened bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors to advance the shared interests of both countries.
Saudi Arabia's King Faisal ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud (L) chats on June 06, 1967 by French President General Charles de Gaulle at the steps of Paris Palais de l'Elysée after their meeting. (File/AFP)
In January 1972, Saudi Arabia and France deepened their defense cooperation by signing a landmark military assistance agreement. The pact diversified the Kingdom’s weapons inventory and marked a major milestone in bilateral ties, positioning France as a primary military equipment supplier to the Kingdom.
In January 1977, relations between the two countries took another major leap when Valery Giscard d’Estaing became the first French president to pay an official visit to Saudi Arabia.
What truly made a global impact and amplified the Kingdom’s rising geopolitical weight on the world stage was not the visit itself, but the French president’s historic speech in which he saluted Saudi Arabia as a world power.
On June 4, 1977, Saudi-French economic cooperation reached a new milestone when King Khalid bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud issued a royal decree establishing Banque Saudi Fransi in 2002 as a Saudi joint-stock company.
The new entity took over the Kingdom’s operations of the French bank Banque de l’Indochine et de Suez. This created a joint venture where Saudi shareholders held majority ownership, while the French institution retained a minority stake and technical management control.
Another milestone in bilateral relations came in 1978, when King Khalid traveled to Paris on his first state visit to France, expanding security and cultural exchanges between the two countries.
Over the following years, high-level diplomatic momentum continued with frequent exchanges of state visits.
President d’Estaing visited Riyadh again in March 1980, followed by the newly elected President Francois Mitterrand in September 1981, his first official visit outside Europe. In 1984, King Fahd Abdulaziz Al-Saud made his first state visit to France as ruler of Saudi Arabia.
King Fahd of Saudi Arabia (King Fahd Ibn Abdul Aziz Al Saud) shakes hand to a pilote after the first test flight of Mirage 4000 as Serge Dassault, French CEO of Dassault compagny looks on, on April 25, 1987 in Nice. (File/AFP)
Over the past six decades, the two countries have continuously deepened their cultural collaboration, expanding into joint efforts in museum development, the film industry and heritage preservation.
In April 1997, Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, at that time governor of Riyadh Province and Saudi Arabia’s future king, met then-French president Jacques Chirac in Paris to sign a charter of cooperation and friendship between the two capitals.
The agreement facilitated knowledge-sharing between municipal authorities in Riyadh and Paris to advance urban planning and infrastructure development. It also established a formal platform for cultural and heritage exchanges.
The Saudi-French Business Council was established a few years later, in 2001, gradually shifting the bilateral economic framework toward direct private-sector partnerships. The council connected business executives and investors from both nations to foster joint ventures.
In April 2005, Crown Prince Abdullah Al-Saud made an official visit to Paris. The trip marked his final major state visit to Europe before he became king in August that year.
In 2006, France and Saudi Arabia signed a defense cooperation agreement that updated the foundational 1972 military framework between the two nations. Shortly after, in June 2007, King Abdullah returned to Paris for an official visit with French president Nicolas Sarkozy.
Saudi Arabia and France furthered their energy cooperation in January 2008, during a two-day state visit by President Sarkozy, which included the signing of bilateral agreements in the oil, gas, and mining sectors.
Then-French President Francois Hollande (R) is greeted by Saudi King Salman upon his arrival at Riyadh airport on May 4, 2015. (File/AFP)
People-to-people ties expanded in 2010 when the Alliance Francaise, the official institution dedicated to teaching French as a second language, opened its centers in Saudi Arabia.
In December 2013, French president Francois Hollande visited King Abdullah in Riyadh. The two-day visit focused on expanding commercial cooperation and reaffirming a joint commitment to regional security and stability across the Middle East.
On Sept. 1, 2014, Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, deputy prime minister, made a four-day official visit to France to further cooperations.
On May 5, 2015, President Hollande met King Salman in Riyadh and addressed the first summit between the Gulf Cooperation Council and France, pledging “to work with all my force to deepen this relationship and strategic partnership, with your member states and with your organization, at all levels.”
In June 2015, Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammed bin Salman met President Hollande in Paris as France and Saudi Arabia signed major trade agreements worth $12 billion.
In November 2017, French President Emmanuel Macron made a visit to Saudi Arabia to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman following an Iran-backed Houthi missile attack on Riyadh, pledging to “work with Saudi Arabia for the purpose of guaranteeing stability in the region and the fight against terrorism.”
In April 2018, the crown prince made his first official visit to France, where he met President Macron to solidify bilateral economic ties and secure commercial contracts between Saudi and French companies valued at $18 billion. During the visit, the two countries also established a landmark partnership to develop AlUla into a premier destination for culture, heritage and sustainable tourism.
2018 to 2019 marked a major milestone for Saudi-French cooperation within AlUla. Training programs were introduced with Campus France to train Saudis who would work in hospitality at AlUla, alongside the founding of the French agency Afalula in Paris to support the area’s development.
In February 2019, the AlUla tourism project launched with plans for a luxury resort designed by French Pritzker Prize-winning architect Jean Nouvel. This followed the implementation of the eco-friendly AlUla tram project in collaboration with French company Alstom. In addition, the “Villa Hegra” foundation was launched as the first joint Saudi-French cultural center in AlUla, serving as a platform for creativity, visual arts and artistic exchange.
In cultural cooperation, “AlUla: Wonder of Arabia,” an exhibition at the Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, highlighted the Kingdom’s cultural treasures in October 2019.
In March 2020, Saudi Arabia hosted the G20. President Emmanuel Macron was among world leaders who attended the virtual meeting, which focused on COVID-19.
A historic state visit took place in December 2021, when President Macron visited Jeddah and met with the crown prince to sign multiple strategic, cultural, and tourism agreements. During that visit, the two countries signed an agreement between Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb and French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Economic Attractiveness Franck Riester to enhance tourism cooperation.
During the signing, the tourism minister said: “I am pleased that France is our close partner in the development of our tourism activity. We already have a long history and a strong relationship, and this agreement will lead to strengthening our cooperation in the tourism field.”
2021 also saw an exchange of high-level ministerial and state visits between Saudi Arabia and France. On May 17, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan led the Kingdom’s delegation at the International Conference in Support of Sudan and participated in the Paris Summit on the Financing of African Economies, hosted by the French president.
Visits by the crown prince and prime minister to France in July 2022 and June 2023, and the visit by President Macron to the Kingdom in December 2021, contributed to expanding the scope of cooperation between the two countries.
French President Francois Hollande at the time (R) attends the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on May 5, 2015 in Riyadh. (File/AFP)
Paris had previously hosted the Saudi National Orchestra and Choir’s first concert outside the Kingdom in October 2022. “Masterpieces of Saudi Music,” featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra of France, was performed at the Theatre du Chatelet. Both orchestras, led by conductor Emad Zari and under the direction of Amine Kouider, presented a joint musical show, performing a medley of Saudi folk songs in different traditional styles such as Al-Majrour, Al-Mizmar, Al-Khabiti and Al-Samari, followed by a world premiere of the score “Jeddah,” composed by Italian Antonio Bernardi.
In trade, Saudi Arabia’s non-oil exports to the French Republic reached SR1.3 billion, while imports totaled SR14.7 billion in 2022. Trade between the Kingdom and France rose to $11.793 billion in 2025, up 7.2 percent from 2024, reflecting both nations’ commitment to strengthening economic and investment ties and expanding bilateral trade.
In December 2024, President Macron paid a state visit to Saudi Arabia, with both countries agreeing to advance three primary goals: national development and defense, regional and global stability, and key global issues, starting with climate change.
In September 2025, Saudi Arabia and France jointly submitted a decision to the UN General Assembly to resume the High-Level International Conference on the Two-State Solution and the Question of Palestine.
In July 2026, Paris became the first international Esports World Cup host city outside Riyadh, accelerating the Esports Foundation’s long-term global rotation ambition.
Looking to the future, both countries are committed to a joint action plan for 2023–2028. This focuses on artificial intelligence, green logistics and stimulating development in tourism, sports and entertainment.
Throughout their 100-year official bilateral relations, France has viewed the Kingdom as a reliable ally with a crucial role in upholding peace and stability in the region.
