France's Macron begins state visit to Qatar as part of wider Gulf tour

French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Doha on Tuesday for a state visit and talks with Qatar’s emir, after securing pledges of additional energy supplies from Gulf partners during his regional tour.

Macron was received at Hamad International Airport by Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, after fighter jets escorted his plane on arrival as part of state visit honours. His visit follows stops in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.

In a speech to the French nation on Sunday after a weekend of violent protests that engulfed France, Macron said he would travel to the Gulf countries to secure France’s energy supplies and to address the grievances over fuel prices and the cost of living, while his government worked with fuel distributors to ensure those efforts translated into lower prices for consumers.

The tour has already produced commitments for additional diesel. The French presidency said France had secured pledges for an extra 200,000 tonnes a month from the UAE and Bahrain, around 100,000 tonnes from each.

Including supplies from Saudi Arabia, the commitments totalled 295,000 tonnes a month, equivalent to just over 10% of French consumption, the Élysée said.

Energy security and regional ties

Macron began his state visit to Qatar with talks at Lusail Palace with Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

The French delegation includes TotalEnergies chief executive Patrick Pouyanné. The French energy company already has substantial interests in Qatar, including a partnership with QatarEnergy in the North Field East gas expansion project.

Qatar’s foreign ministry said Tuesday’s talks would be followed by a strategic dialogue on Wednesday, covering energy, the economy, investment and defence.

Speaking at a briefing in Doha, the ministry’s director of media and communication, Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi, described France as a friend and ally and welcomed its position during the regional crisis.

France was among Qatar's main defenders during the Iran war, securing the Gulf country's air defence with fighter jets and other capabilities.

The visit also builds on wider investment ties. During the emir’s 2024 state visit to France, Qatar pledged €10 billion in investment across sectors including energy transition, artificial intelligence, aerospace, and healthcare.