ABU DHABI, UAE / AsiaWire.IO / – UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed ways to broaden strategic ties between the two countries during talks in Abu Dhabi on October 19. The meeting took place during Macron’s official visit to the UAE. The leaders focused on cooperation in the economy, investment, energy, advanced technology and artificial intelligence. They said these sectors support both countries’ shared vision for development and prosperity.
Sheikh Mohamed and Macron reaffirmed their commitment to supporting UAE-France cooperation in vital sectors. They also reviewed progress on joint projects, including work in energy, advanced technology and artificial intelligence. The UAE President hosted a banquet in honour of the French President after the talks. Macron signed the VIP guestbook, expressing pride in the continued development of UAE-France relations. He also wished the two countries’ ties further growth.
The talks also covered regional and international issues, led by developments in the Middle East. Both sides discussed ongoing efforts to address the impact of those developments on maritime security and global energy supplies. They underscored their shared determination to strengthen coordination to reinforce security, stability and peace in the region. Attacks on energy sites across the Gulf have curtailed oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz in recent months.
Gulf tour focuses on Hormuz and energy security
Abu Dhabi is part of a Gulf tour that takes Macron to the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar from October 19 to 21. An Élysée source said the visit aims to promote a return to stability and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. Talks are also set to cover securing and diversifying energy supplies and their transport routes. France and the United Kingdom proposed an international maritime coalition in April to protect shipping in the strait.
Macron is travelling with a delegation that includes the chief executives of TotalEnergies and Engie. Defence Minister Catherine Vautrin, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and Economy and Finance Minister Roland Lescure also joined the trip. The president of Campus AI, a major technology complex under construction near Paris with UAE funding, is part of the group. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed and Macron also attended the UAE-France Business Dialogue in Abu Dhabi.
Senior UAE officials attend talks and banquet
The meeting and banquet were attended by His Highness Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs, was also present. Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Advisor to the UAE President, joined several ministers and officials. Sheikh Mohamed earlier received Macron with an official ceremony, including an honour guard and military band.
The visit continues a series of high-level contacts between the two leaders. Macron met Sheikh Mohamed at the Zayed National Museum in Abu Dhabi in December 2025 and addressed French troops based in the UAE. He attended the COP28 climate conference in Dubai in 2023 and the opening of the Louvre Abu Dhabi in 2017. In July, he became the first major Western leader to visit Syria after its civil war. Macron’s Gulf tour ends in Qatar on October 21.
