John Irish

JEDDAH (Reuters) – French President Emmanuel Macron visited Saudi Arabia Saturday to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This was the first time a major west leader has stepped foot on Saudi Arabian soil since the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Macron views Saudi Arabia crucial to helping forge regional peace deals with Iran. He also considers it an ally and in the fight against Islamist militants, from the Middle East to West Africa.

France is a major arms supplier to Saudi Arabia, and it has been under increasing pressure from the Saudi-led coalition against the Iran-aligned Houthi rebels, which are now in one of the worst humanitarian crises.

France is not reaping the benefits of its business successes, even though relations between Paris and Riyadh were stronger under Macron’s predecessor Francois Hollande. This has happened despite Macron’s appeal to detractors prior to Khashoggi’s assassination to allow them to spend time with the 33-year-old leader in waiting.

During Macron’s trip, a delegation from around 100 businesses including TotalEnergies and EDF (PA :), Thales and Vivendi will be attending an investment forum.

Macron denied that he legitimized the crown prince and said that the many crises in the region could not be solved if he ignored the kingdom.

“After the Khashoggi case, (we) can determine that we do not have a policy in the area. This is something some people are able to defend. But I believe France plays an important part in this region. Macron clarified that Macron did not say we were complicit nor had forgotten.

Recent contracts have been few, with most centred on the Al-Ula tourism project that aims to bring to life the kingdom’s Nabatean history https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/archaeologists-saudi-arabia-excavate-forgotten-kingdoms-2021-11-02/#:~:text=AL%20ULA%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%2C%20Nov,kingdoms%20of%20Dadan%20and%20Lihyan, part of Saudi Arabia’s diversification drive to wean its economy off oil revenues.

Macron’s trip comes as the Gulf Arab states express concern over the U.S. emphasis on the region at the same time they are seeking more weapons from Washington.

Saudi Arabia has been frustrated by the approach of U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, which has pressed Riyadh over its human rights record and the Yemen war and released intelligence https://www.reuters.com/article/usa-saudi-khashoggi-int/saudi-de-facto-ruler-approved-operation-that-led-to-khashoggis-death-u-s-idUSKBN2AQ2OA linking bin Salman to Khashoggi’s murder.

Riyadh’s Istanbul consulate was attacked by a journalist who had been attempting to kill him. The incident caused outrage around the world and has tarnished Prince Mohammed’s image.

Agnes Callamard secretary general Amnesty International said that “whether it’s an objective or not (this trip), contributes towards a policy to rehabilitate the Saudi prince.” It pains me to see France, the land of human rights, as the instrument for this policy.

Macron, the Western’s first head of state has visited Saudi Arabia for the first time since Khashoggi was killed and then the COVID-19 pandemic which decimated Riyadh’s 2020 hopes to host G20 leaders.

The two men are expected to discuss regional issues, including the Iran nuclear matter and Lebanon https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/lebanon-information-minister-resigns-ease-saudi-spat-2021-12-03, where Macron has so far failed to convince Gulf Arab states, wary of Iran-backed Hezbollah’s heft, to engage on trying to find a solution.