UAE President Sheikh Mohamed arrives in Paris for state visit

UAE leader is meeting President Emmanuel Macron

President Sheikh Mohamed and French President Emmanuel Macron embrace in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace in Paris on Monday. All photos: Chris Whiteoak / The National

Sheikh Mohamed, Mr Macron and Brigitte Macron, the French president's wife.

The Emirati and French presidents wave in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace.

A military guard stands to attention as the two leaders meet.

Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron pictured shortly before Sheikh Mohamed's arrival.

French military personnel line up in the courtyard of the Elysee Palace.

The red carpet is rolled out ahead of Sheikh Mohamed's arrival, in this image shared on his Twitter account

Sheikh Mohamed pictured in a photo shared on his Twitter account

Sheikh Mohamed with Mr Macron at the Elysee Palace. Also present are Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, managing director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority and Abu Dhabi Executive Council member; Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, vice chairman of the Abu Dhabi Executive Council; Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation; Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Abu Dhabi Executive Council member, chairman of the Executive Affairs Authority and managing director group chief executive of Mubadala Investment Company; and Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, group chief executive of Adnoc and chairman of Masdar. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed attends an official reception, hosted by Sebastien Lecornu, France's Minister of the Armed Forces, at the Army Museum in Paris. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Lecornu stand for the French national anthem during the official reception. Photo: Presidential Court

The UAE delegation at the Army Museum in Paris. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed at the Army Museum at Les Invalides palace. Pictured with Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, left, and Mr Lecornu. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, UAE Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, at the Army Museum. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, attends a reception at the Army Museum. Seen with Xavier Chatel, French ambassador to the UAE. Photo: Presidential Court

A French honour guard at the Army Museum. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed and Gerard Larcher, President of the French Senate, left, inspect the honour guard before a meeting at the Luxembourg Palace. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed is received by Gerard Larcher, President of the French Senate, at Luxembourg Palace. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed with Mr Larcher at the Luxembourg Palace. Photo: Presidential Court

Sheikh Mohamed signs a guest book at the Luxembourg Palace. Seen with Mr Larcher. Photo: Presidential Court

Latest: UAE and France sign two major energy deals in Paris

President Sheikh Mohamed cemented the UAE's relationship with France on Monday as he met Emmanuel Macron on his first state visit.

The UAE leader warmly embraced the French President on a bright and sunny day in Paris, describing Mr Macron as a friend and his country as one of the Emirates' closest allies.

"I was pleased to arrive in France, a close strategic ally of the UAE, and meet my friend President Emmanuel Macron," Sheikh Mohamed wrote on Twitter in Arabic, English and French.

"Our countries enjoy longstanding partnerships across many fields. We look forward to further collaborations and strengthening ties towards a prosperous future."

Sheikh Mohamed met Mr Macron and his wife Brigitte at the Elysee Palace, the president's residence.

During a private lunch, the two leaders "reviewed new agreements that expand decades of partnership and collaboration between the UAE and France across investment, the economy, cultural exchange, scientific innovation, advanced technology, future energy, food security and climate change", UAE news agency Wam said.

"Collaboration across energy of all kinds is critical, noting that the UAE is committed to supporting energy security to all people."

Mr Macron has placed the Middle East firmly on his agenda in recent years.

Sheikh Mohamed "discussed the important role that France has undertaken in the Middle East, noting his interest in continuing to work together with France to promote peace, stability, and security for all in the region", Wam said, with a focus on "favouring de-escalation, peaceful co-existence and relationship building".

The UAE leader "reiterated the common interest that the UAE and France share in confronting climate change, including the opportunity to move forward with clear action at Cop28, which will be hosted in the UAE in 2023".

President Macron awarded Sheikh Mohamed the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour. Sheikh Mohamed granted President Macron the Order of Zayed, the UAE's highest civilian honour.

Earlier, Sheikh Mohamed and a delegation of ministers and senior officials began the day with a visit to the historic Les Invalides complex, home to the Military Museum.

There, he visited the tomb of Napoleon Bonaparte within the Dome des Invalides.

The decision to select France as Sheikh Mohamed's first state visit is considered highly significant and a recognition of the strength of ties between the two countries and their leaders.

On Monday, Emirati flags adorned the streets around the palaces.

Later, Sheikh Mohamed travelled a short distance to Luxembourg Palace, where the Senate is located.

There, he was greeted by President of the Senate Gerard Larcher and smiled for photographs before entering the palace.

Sheikh Mohamed was accompanied by Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed, Deputy Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Council, Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, and Sheikh Hamed bin Zayed, managing director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.

In the Luxembourg Palace guestbook, Sheikh Mohamed wrote: "I am pleased to visit the Senate premises in Luxembourg Palace. This is a historic establishment that witnessed important events in French history, which also represents great architecture and the creativity of human civilisation.

"I look forward to having this visit be considered as a starting point to continue to develop friendly relations between the UAE and France, to bolster the communications between our citizens, and to enhance collaboration."

'We both want a stable Middle East'

Mr Larcher told journalists he was pleased to have the opportunity to discuss the Cop28 climate conference, which will be hosted at Expo City Dubai in November 2023, and "a lot about the energy issue, which is very important".

Both nations want to see greater stability in the Middle East, he said.

During the two-day visit, an agreement in the field of energy is expected, while a second will relate to the establishment of a French-Emirati business council.

In the evening, Mr Macron received Sheikh Mohamed for a state dinner at the Grand Trianon, within the grounds of the Palace of Versailles.

Sheikh Mohamed will meet top French officials during his two-day visit, including Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne and President of the National Assembly Yael Braun-Pivet, Wam reported.

Recent visits

Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Macron last met in May, when the French president visited Abu Dhabi briefly to pay tribute to President Sheikh Khalifa after his death.

Sheikh Mohamed previously visited France in September 2021, while serving as Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

During that visit he met Mr Macron in Paris for talks on the long-standing strategic ties between the nations.

After that trip, the UAE and France issued a joint statement in which Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Macron hailed the "strong and historic bilateral ties between the two countries since the founding of the UAE in 1971".

The statement underlined a "commitment to overcome regional challenges, and their shared determination to counter extremism, fight terrorism and strengthen their co-operation in the security and defence fields".

Sheikh Zayed's early ties to France

Sheikh Zayed, the Founding Father, first visited Paris in 1951 as part of the Abu Dhabi delegation in an international arbitration to determine offshore oil drilling rights.

Nearly a quarter of a century later, in 1975, he returned again, as President of the UAE and guest of the French president at the time, Valery Giscard d’Estaing.

Mr Giscard would pay a return visit in 1980.