ع
The Saudi Press Agency reported that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received the phone call from President Emmanuel Macron early on Friday. The two leaders exchanged views on recent regional developments while exploring diplomatic steps to bolster security and stability. They placed particular emphasis on safeguarding maritime navigation as tensions persist in key waterways. The discussion also touched on ways to advance Saudi-French bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors.
A maritime conflict update from Ship Universe indicated that commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz had fallen sharply to as few as six vessels on some days in early August against a normal flow exceeding 100 passages daily. The Joint Maritime Information Center had recorded 78 confirmed security incidents since March as of its August 2 assessment with the wider regional threat level remaining severe. Such conditions have elevated the importance of coordinated international action to protect shipping lanes that carry a substantial share of global energy supplies.
The phone conversation builds upon longstanding Saudi-French ties with Saudipedia data showing the bilateral trade volume reached 43.3 billion Saudi riyals in 2022 reflecting a 41 percent increase driven largely by an 80 percent rise in Saudi exports. The Saudi Industrial Development Fund had by then supported around 27 joint industrial and mining projects valued at 4.5 billion riyals. French direct investment in the Kingdom stood near 6 billion dollars at that time while the number of French companies operating there grew 43 percent since 2020.
Arab News reported on a comparable discussion between the Crown Prince and Macron in late June 2026 that similarly highlighted freedom of navigation. Al Arabiya documented an earlier call at the end of May that covered parallel themes of regional stability and maritime security. These repeated high-level exchanges illustrate the priority both countries assign to sustained dialogue amid fluid Middle East dynamics.
The Saudi Press Agency added that the leaders reviewed existing areas of joint cooperation and considered avenues to strengthen them further in the coming period. France has emerged as a significant European partner for Saudi Arabia in fields ranging from energy to defense and investment. The latest call occurs against a backdrop in which both nations continue to align on approaches to broader Gulf security challenges.
