From Middle East to e-sports: Macron hosts Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman

French President Emmanuel Macron is hosting Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for a two-day visit to Paris. The Crown Prince's visit comes after he had been ostracised on the international stage following the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

The talks between Macron and the Crown Prince will focus on expanding existing oil pipelines as an alternative to the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively closed by Iran since the US and Israel launched a war on the country in February. About 20 per cent of global crude oil was previously shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Crown Prince's visit begins with him co-hosting the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup with Macron, the first time the event has been held outside Saudi Arabia. Bilateral meetings and a business forum will also take place, with the Iran war and its regional repercussions set to be a top agenda item, according to The National Business and The National UAE.

Brief written by urgent.news from Euronews, The National Business, The National UAE, The Local France, France 24 — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.