Diplomacy & Geopolitics
Mohammed bin Salman visits Macron as unions protest
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has begun a two-day visit to France hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron, opening the trip at the Esports World Cup in Paris before talks on Saudi-French cooperation and Middle East issues.
Macron welcomed Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince and de facto ruler, on Sunday and hosted him at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino also attended, and Macron spoke with leading gamers and handed out trophies.
The esports event, backed by Riyadh, is being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.
A French presidential official said several agreements on health, transport and energy are due to be signed on Monday. The official said the talks are likely to focus on Iran.
On Monday afternoon, Macron and Mohammed bin Salman are due to chair the first meeting of the Saudi-French strategic partnership council. Macron's office said the two leaders would discuss regional issues in a context requiring close coordination between France and Gulf partners to support stability and peace in the Middle East.
The visit drew criticism from three French journalists' unions. The SNJ-CGT, CFDT-Journalistes and SGJ-FO said France's decision to host Mohammed bin Salman, after a previous Macron-hosted visit in July 2022, “looks like a provocation for defenders of media freedom and freedom of expression”.
The unions cited a live French investigation for torture and forced disappearance after a complaint lodged in 2021 over the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Khashoggi, a Saudi with US residency who criticised the Saudi ruling family, was murdered in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul in 2018. His body was never recovered.
US intelligence concluded that Mohammed bin Salman was directly involved in Khashoggi's killing. A UN investigation described Khashoggi's death as an extrajudicial killing for which Saudi Arabia was responsible.
The earlier published story said Riyadh has denied that Mohammed bin Salman approved the operation and has blamed rogue operatives.
Macron met Mohammed bin Salman in Saudi Arabia in December 2021, and the Saudi crown prince has made several visits to France since then.
Update
French President Emmanuel Macron welcomed Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Sunday for the two-day visit.
Macron hosted Mohammed bin Salman at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup in Paris.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended the Esports World Cup closing ceremony.
Macron spoke with leading gamers and handed out trophies.
A French presidential official said the crown prince's choice of France for the visit was an important signal for Franco-Saudi relations.
Monday's talks are likely to focus on Iran, according to the supplied account.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 August 2026 at 20:17:38 UTC.
Update
Three French journalist unions protested against France hosting Mohammed bin Salman and called the visit a provocation for defenders of media freedom and freedom of expression.
The unions said there is a live French investigation for torture and forced disappearance against Mohammed bin Salman after a 2021 complaint over Jamal Khashoggi's killing.
The visit follows a previous one hosted by Emmanuel Macron in July 2022.
Source note: AFP news report published on 23 August 2026 at 15:03:40 UTC.
Uncertainty notes
The exact contents of the agreements due to be signed on Monday have not been detailed.
A French presidential official declined to comment on whether possible agreements could involve a proposed Dragon Ball theme park outside Paris.
Source
AFP news report published on .