The Kuwait News Agency reported that French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Kuwait on Monday to kick off a four-nation Gulf tour that also includes stops in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar. At Kuwait International Airport, he was received by Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah before the pair held wide-ranging talks at Bayan Palace on bolstering cooperation across multiple sectors. The discussions also covered regional and international issues, including stability in the Middle East and freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, according to the agency.
In the presence of senior Kuwaiti officials including the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the two sides signed eight agreements, memoranda of understanding and declarations of intent, the Amiri Diwan said in a statement. These covered defense cooperation, civil aviation, data and artificial intelligence, academic and scientific research, investment promotion and healthcare including cancer treatment. A strategic aviation partnership between the Kuwait Investment Authority and Airbus was among the pacts finalized during the ceremony.
Kuwait’s Amir awarded Macron the Order of Mubarak the Great while the French president conferred the Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour on the Kuwaiti leader, KUNA figures show. The mutual honors underscored the depth of friendship between the two nations. The visit represents the first by a French president to Kuwait since Nicolas Sarkozy in 2009, multiple outlets reported.
France recognized Kuwait’s independence on August 28, 1961, shortly after the country gained sovereignty, and diplomatic relations were formally established several years later. Kuwait has long valued France’s steadfast support during the 1990 Iraqi invasion, when Paris deployed thousands of troops as part of the international coalition to liberate the emirate. Over the intervening decades, ties have grown in political, economic, military, educational, cultural and health domains, according to a Kuwait Times assessment.
The latest agreements build upon a declaration of intent for a Kuwait-France Strategic Investment Partnership covering 2025 to 2035 that was signed during the Amir’s visit to Paris in July 2025. That earlier trip also produced commitments to enhance cultural exchanges as part of the 65th anniversary commemorations. A joint communiqué from the Élysée Palace at the time highlighted shared priorities in energy transition, artificial intelligence, aerospace and healthcare.
French Treasury data for 2025 places bilateral trade at roughly 3.3 billion euros, with French exports to Kuwait rising 68.5 percent to 1.07 billion euros on the back of aircraft sales while imports of refined petroleum products climbed to 2.22 billion euros. The new pacts aim to further diversify and deepen economic links beyond traditional energy trade. Macron’s regional tour comes at a time of heightened tensions, with Paris seeking additional oil and diesel supplies as well as partnerships on security and economic matters, the Élysée said.
