French-Saudi Investment Roundtable Meeting Held with Government Officials and Business Leaders
Paris, August 24, 2026, SPA -- As part of the visit of His Royal Highness Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, to the French Republic, the French-Saudi Investment Roundtable Meeting was held on Monday in Paris, organized by the Ministry of Investment, with the participation of senior government officials, business leaders and CEOs of major companies from the two countries.
Minister of Investment Fahad bin Abduljalil Al-Saif said in his remarks at the meeting that relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic span a full century.
The investment minister highlighted the alignment between French capabilities in technology, industry, finance and innovation and the ambitions of Saudi Vision 2030, which has been reflected in strong investment flows.
The minister also noted that the stock of French foreign direct investment in Saudi Arabia reached €16.3 billion in 2024, doubling over five years and making France the Kingdom’s fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment.
He added that French investors currently hold more than 650 investment licenses across 18 sectors.
He affirmed that, through Saudi Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia has become one of the fastest-growing G20 economies, with GDP growing by around 85% since 2017, from approximately €620 billion to €1.1 trillion last year.
He also noted that non-oil activities now account for more than 50% of GDP, while investment has become one of the main drivers of economic growth and diversification.
The minister added that foreign direct investment inflows amounted to around €6.1 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 2.4% year on year.
He indicated that Saudi Vision 2030 has transformed the economy and created growth opportunities for French companies to expand their operations in the Kingdom.
He highlighted the resilience of priority sectors, which has provided global investors with stability and predictability, noting that the energy, financial services, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, transport and logistics, gaming, and tourism sectors offer significant potential for investment and partnerships.
Moreover, the minister noted that Saudi-French cooperation in the oil and gas sector extends to conventional energy and petrochemicals, while French companies have an active presence in the Kingdom’s transition towards clean energy, providing a strong foundation for deepening investment in renewable energy and related technologies.
Minister Al-Saif also highlighted the financial sector as another important avenue for cooperation between the two countries, as efforts continue to deepen and broaden the Saudi financial system, noting that the main market is open to all foreign investors, while Saudi Exchange continues to rank as the largest and most liquid stock market in the Middle East and North Africa.
He said that growth in the economy and priority sectors will drive the growth of enabling sectors, such as financial services and insurance, opening up further investment opportunities, attracting new investors to the market, and supporting mergers and acquisitions.
The investment minister also highlighted the promising opportunities in the gaming and esports sector, noting that average revenue per player in the Kingdom is around 7% higher than the global average and approximately 4.5 times the average in the Middle East and Africa.
He indicated that the young, highly engaged market provides a strong foundation for developing Saudi intellectual property, producing content, creating specialized jobs that require specific skills, as well as building companies capable of competing globally.
He said that turning sectoral cooperation into long-term investments requires a strong regional base, noting that the Regional Headquarters (RHQ) Program has attracted more than 750 companies, including 39 French companies operating across eight sectors.
Minister Al-Saif added that the Saudi Cabinet’s recent approval of offshore financial activities would further strengthen the Kingdom’s position as a platform for companies to manage their regional operations.
Additionally, he called on French companies to identify investment opportunities in the Kingdom where their capabilities, technologies and capital could contribute, while urging the Saudi side to present projects with the greatest potential, their investment requirements and the pathways needed to implement them.
For his part, French Minister of the Economy and Finance Roland Lescure underscored the importance of the strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and France, highlighting energy and logistics security as key pillars. He noted that the Kingdom has proven to be a reliable partner in supporting global energy market stability. He also described Saudi Arabia as a vital link between the Middle East and Europe in energy and logistics, forming a cornerstone of the two countries' shared security.
Addressing long-term mutual investment, Lescure highlighted the shared goal of increasing trade to $12 billion by 2025. He said the Public Investment Fund's opening of an office in Paris reflects joint efforts to attract Saudi investment to France. He also pointed to the alignment between Saudi Vision 2030 and France 2030, stressing that the French presence in the Kingdom has evolved beyond sales to include joint production.
The meeting featured a session titled "Saudi Arabia and France: Partnership for the Future," which explored prospects for cooperation and opportunities to strengthen private-sector partnerships. Strategic dialogues among business leaders focused on four key areas: financing and developing transformative destinations, advancing industrial partnerships into implementable projects, developing transport and logistics to enhance economic integration, and building the digital future through artificial intelligence and digital infrastructure.
The meeting comes amid expanding economic and investment ties between the two countries. These ties are supported by France's strengths in technology, industry, finance, and innovation, as well as the broad investment opportunities created by Saudi Vision 2030. French direct investment stock in the Kingdom reached SAR63.9 billion in 2024, more than double its 2021 level. This made France the fourth-largest source of foreign direct investment in Saudi Arabia. Bilateral trade reached SAR44.2 billion in 2025.
The presence of French companies in the Kingdom has also continued to expand, with 651 investment licenses issued across 18 sectors. This growth coincides with sustained foreign direct investment momentum in Saudi Arabia. Inflows reached approximately SAR23.9 billion in the first quarter of 2026, representing year-on-year growth of 2.4%.
As Saudi Vision 2030 enters its final delivery phase, opportunities for French investors are expanding in sectors aligned with French expertise. These include energy, financial services, digital infrastructure, advanced manufacturing, transport and logistics, gaming, and tourism. The breadth of these opportunities opens wider prospects for high-value partnerships between the Saudi and French business communities.
-- SPA
