Macron wraps up Gulf tour in Qatar as France seeks to bolster energy security
French President Emmanuel Macron is due to conclude his Gulf tour on Wednesday in Qatar, as France seeks to strengthen ties with regional partners amid heightened tension and concerns over energy security. His visit comes as France braces for renewed protests on Saturday, after authorities introduced curfews as demonstrations over the soaring cost of living and high fuel prices turned into…
On his final day of a three-day tour of the Gulf, French President Emmanuel Macron is set to conclude his visit in Qatar on Wednesday. The trip aims to bolster ties with regional partners as France grapples with rising energy security concerns. His visit follows recent protests in France over soaring living costs and high fuel prices, which escalated into rioting and looting.
During his time in Qatar, Macron met with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim to discuss bilateral relations and potential areas for cooperation, including the economic, investment, security, and defence sectors. Doha was the tour's final stop, following stops in Kuwait, the UAE, and Bahrain.
France has secured commitments from several Gulf nations, including Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, and Saudi Arabia, to provide additional diesel fuel supplies. This amounts to about 295,000 tonnes of diesel a month, which is slightly more than 10% of France's usual consumption. Rising diesel prices have exacerbated the cost-of-living pressures for households in France and other countries.
In Abu Dhabi, Macron met with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed to sign agreements covering defense, energy, artificial intelligence, and advanced technology. The two countries also exchanged a strategic defense partnership framework. France and the UAE signed an intergovernmental agreement on cooperation on the Dassault Rafale F5 standard within their respective Rafale programmes, reflecting efforts to deepen military ties amid geopolitical uncertainty.
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