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The French presidency announced in mid-October that President Emmanuel Macron would visit Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar from October 19 to 21 to continue mobilisation with regional leaders for a return to stability and free navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The Elysee statement said discussions would address the securing and diversification of energy supplies along with their transport routes in order to limit the consequences of the energy crisis on the daily lives of French citizens. Bilateral meetings with the Emir of Kuwait, the UAE President, the King of Bahrain and the Emir of Qatar are scheduled as part of the tour.
Reuters reported that the trip seeks to strengthen the strategic and economic partnerships France maintains with these Gulf countries, with emphasis on cooperation in energy, global issues, defence and security. A French foreign ministry spokesperson told Reuters on October 15 that France had begun deploying military assets to Saudi Arabia under an agreement to protect oil facilities there. The spokesperson declined to provide further details on the assets involved.
A Reuters report from April 2025 detailed how French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot met in Kuwait with ministers responsible for public works, electricity, water, municipality affairs and housing. The talks explored infrastructure development projects involving eight French companies as well as opportunities for those firms to help operate Kuwait International Airport. Discussions also covered waste recycling initiatives, housing city projects and renewal of the electricity generation system.
The April 2025 meeting at Bayan Palace examined ways to reinforce strategic partnerships between Kuwait’s Ministry of Public Works, the Public Authority for Roads and the French companies in support of Kuwait’s infrastructure development objectives, according to statements carried in the report. Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works Noura Al-Mashaan outlined the alignment with national priorities during the talks. Those earlier engagements provide additional background for the topics expected to arise in Macron’s meetings with Kuwaiti officials.
The French presidency framed the current tour as part of a sustained push to tackle both immediate energy challenges and longer-term strategic alignments across the region. The statement highlighted the Strait of Hormuz situation and its influence on energy prices as central to the agenda. Macron’s stop in Kuwait represents the first leg before he proceeds to the other three states.
France’s relations with Kuwait and the wider Gulf have included regular high-level contacts on economic and security matters in recent years. The Elysee noted that the visits would build on existing frameworks for collaboration in multiple sectors. The three-day itinerary concludes on October 21.
