Mohammed bin Salman visits Macron for Saudi-France talks

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is starting a two-day visit hosted by French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday, with talks expected to cover Saudi-French cooperation and regional issues in the Middle East.

A French presidential official said several agreements on health, transport and energy are due to be signed on Monday, the second day of the visit.

The visit is due to begin on Sunday evening with Macron hosting Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Arabia's crown prince and de facto ruler, at the closing ceremony of the Esports World Cup hosted by Paris. The event, backed by Mohammed bin Salman, is being held outside Saudi Arabia for the first time.

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 they would discuss regional issues in a context requiring close coordination between France and Gulf partners to support stability and peace in the Middle East.

It remains unclear whether human rights will be high on the agenda. A United Nations investigation described the 2018 killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Riyadh's Istanbul consulate as an extrajudicial killing for which Saudi Arabia was responsible. US intelligence agencies determined that Mohammed bin Salman had approved the operation that led to Khashoggi's killing. Riyadh denies that 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.