UAE President Opts For France On First State Visit

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan arrived in Paris, on his first overseas state visit and with energy and transport deals on the agenda.

He is due to meet his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron on Monday at the Élysée Palace.

The UAE president’s visit comes after Joe Biden’s first Middle East tour as president, which included a visit to Saudi Arabia at a time when western powers remain desperate for both Riyadh and the UAE to increase oil output to tame elevated energy prices stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

A presidential adviser at the Élysée told Newsmen, A key facet of the trip is likely to be the unveiling of “guarantees given by the UAE on quantities of hydrocarbon supplies to France.

Dominated by hydrocarbons, UAE exports to France in 2019 reached €1.5 billion, much of it refined petroleum products, but the Emirates does not currently supply diesel to the country.

France is seeking “to diversify its sources of supply in the context of the conflict in Ukraine”, the Élysée source added.

Memorandums of understanding and contracts are also expected to be signed in the transport and waste treatment sectors during the three-day visit.

Relations between the two countries have grown considerably in recent years. The UAE is home to the only foreign branch of the Louvre museum, and in December it signed a record €14-billion contract for 80 Rafale warplanes