Macron pays visit to the Gulf, with focus on counterterrorism
The United Arab Emirates was the first leg in a tour French President, Emmanuel Macron, is making in the Gulf region.
The tour has already also taken the
French president to Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
First
stop
In the UAE, President Macron met
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahayan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi.
The two sides affirmed their
commitment to supporting efforts to promote peace and stability at the regional
and international levels.
They stressed that diplomacy and
dialogue still represent the best way to achieve sustainable solutions to
conflicts and disputes.
The two sides said linking stability
and prosperity is a priority for the achievement of peace and security in the
region.
Crown Prince bin Zayed and President
Macron also reaffirmed the strategic partnership between their two countries.
They referred to the potential
provision by France of 80 Rafale fighter jets to the UAE air force, along with 12
Caracal H225 helicopters.
The deal between the two countries
in this regard also includes armament, training and spare parts.
The two nations succeeded in
hammering out the deal recently to the tune of 16.6 billion Euros.
Meeting in Doha
President Macron also met Emir of
Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, at his court in Qatari capital, Doha.
The two sides discussed cooperation
relations and means of enhancing them in various fields, especially the
economic, investment, defense, security, educational and development fields, in
ways that serve the best interests of both countries.
According to the Élysée, President Macron
discussed with Sheikh Tamim also the fight against terrorism and financing to Islamist
agencies.
He called for the protection of religious
practices against all forms of exploitation.
President Macron noted that
cooperation with Qatar had improved greatly during the past few years.
The French president and the Qatari
emir also discussed preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He called for continued dialogue on
Qatar's labor laws, referring to what he described as 'important' reforms in
this regard.
