Macron to visit UAE on Gulf tour next week

French President Emmanuel Macron is set to embark on a Gulf tour from October 19 to 21, visiting the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar, according to an announcement on Wednesday. The primary focus of his visit will be to address the ongoing situation in the Strait of Hormuz and its impact on global energy prices. The four Gulf nations have all experienced attacks on their energy sites during the US-Iran conflict, which has led to a reduction in oil exports through the strait.

There are growing concerns that the situation in Yemen, where the Houthi rebels are pushing for control of the Bab Al Mandeb strait, could exacerbate the global energy crisis. The President's office emphasized that Macron's intention is to work with regional leaders to restore stability and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Discussions during the visit will also touch upon securing and diversifying energy supplies and transport routes to mitigate the effects of the energy crisis on the daily lives of French citizens. Macron's talks in the UAE will encompass various topics, including defense, security, new technologies like AI, and economic relations.

He is also scheduled to attend a climate event in Qatar. Macron has made multiple visits to the UAE as President, including a meeting with Sheikh Mohamed at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi last December. Previous visits included his attendance at the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai in 2023 and a trip to the opening ceremony of Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017.

In his most recent Middle East trip, Macron visited Damascus in July, marking the first appearance by a major Western leader in post-civil war Syria. Macron's second term as French President concludes next year, and he is constitutionally ineligible to seek a third term.