Saudi diversification of friendships opens new opportunities for France, says French diplomat
PARIS: Just a few years ago, the Franco-Saudi relationship appeared to move forward in fits and starts, overshadowed by the privileged ties Paris maintained with other Gulf capitals. Today, the landscape is radically different.
President Emmanuel Macron’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2024 cemented this evolution, giving a strategic dimension to a relationship that has continued to expand.
But to understand this rapprochement, one must also look to Washington, says Bertrand Besancenot, France’s ambassador to Qatar and later to Saudi Arabia from 2007 to 2016. “It is because Riyadh is now questioning the strength of its partnership with the US that space has opened up for new partners, foremost among them France.
“There was a period when the Saudis were concerned about (former US President Barack) Obama’s policy toward Iran,” Besancenot told Arab News en Francais.
