France and the UAE continue to strengthen their strategic partnership

On 11 May, President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) made his second official visit to France since assuming the leadership of the UAE in May 2022. During the visit, he held a meeting with his French counterpart, President Emmanuel Macron.  The two leaders convened for a working dinner at the Elysee Palace, during which they discussed the enduring friendship and well-established connections between their respective countries, as well as other matters of mutual interest. 

Following the dinner, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed wrote on Twitter - “The UAE and France share a strong, historic partnership and today in Paris, I joined President Emmanuel Macron to explore opportunities for further collaboration across various sectors. (…) Together, we remain committed to promoting a stable and prosperous future for all.” 

Strong relations between France and the UAE date back to the UAE’s independence in 1971. In 2009 the UAE-France Strategic Dialogue was established to serve as a platform for identifying opportunities and forging partnerships in various sectors, including the economy, trade, investment, culture, oil, gas, nuclear and renewable energy, education, health, space, and security.  The current relations between the nations’ two leaders have been central to building increased cooperation. 

President Macron's visit to the UAE in December 2021 resulted in multiple agreements being signed. During his first official visit abroad as the President of the UAE in July 2022, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed met with President Macron in Paris where further agreements were signed for cooperation in sectors as diverse as space, education, energy, and climate change.

The depth of the relationship between the UAE and France is evidenced by the presence of 600 French companies operating in the UAE and employing over 30,000 individuals. There is also the growing non-oil trade between the two countries which reached over Dh29.4 billion (EUR 7.35 bn) by the end of 2022, a rise from Dh25.2 billion in 2021.

In March 2023, President Macron had a prior meeting with Sultan al-Jaber, the UAE’s President-Designate of COP28, in Paris to engage in discussions regarding climate policies. Additionally, a month earlier, Catherine Colonna, the French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, held a meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Foreign Minister of the UAE, in Abu Dhabi, during which they agreed to strengthen relations in the context of the strategic partnership.  

The most recent visit by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed focused on enhancing collaboration in areas of shared priority, such as culture, the environment, climate change, space, and renewable energy. Both leaders reviewed the preparations for the upcoming COP28 to be held in the UAE at the end of the year, stressing that climate action was a priority for both countries as a key dimension for regional and global security.