The gathering at Qasr Al Watan brought together senior government officials and business executives from both countries to identify concrete opportunities for collaboration across strategic industries. Discussions highlighted ways to expand joint ventures that support sustainable growth and technological advancement in line with national development goals. The Abu Dhabi Media Office stated that the event formed part of ongoing efforts to deepen the comprehensive bilateral relationship.
Business France figures show bilateral trade reached €10.8 billion in 2025, a 27 percent increase from the prior year, while the number of registered French companies in the UAE rose 44 percent to more than 11,000. These statistics reflect sustained momentum in commercial ties that the dialogue seeks to build upon through targeted investment initiatives. Trade between France and the broader Gulf region stood at €24.9 billion in the same period, according to the French agency.
A WAM report from February 2026 detailed the fourth plenary meeting of the UAE-France High-Level Business Council held in Abu Dhabi and co-chaired by UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and TotalEnergies Chairman Patrick Pouyanné. That session, convened on the sidelines of Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, included representatives from ADNOC, Masdar, Airbus, Engie and G42 among other major entities. The council has served as a key mechanism for advancing cooperation since its establishment.
A joint statement after the 18th session of the UAE-France Strategic Dialogue in May 2026 identified economy, technology, energy and education as central pillars of the partnership. The May meeting in Abu Dhabi was co-chaired by Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak and a senior French diplomat under the guidance of both countries’ presidents. Previous sessions have produced agreements on investments in infrastructure and advanced industries.
The business dialogue coincides with French President Macron’s regional tour, which began in Kuwait and includes planned stops in Bahrain and Qatar, Arab News reported on October 19, 2026. Separate high-level talks between UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Macron addressed regional maritime security and global energy supply stability. The dedicated business forum allowed private-sector leaders to align on implementation of broader strategic objectives.
UAE official statistics indicate non-oil trade with France expanded 21.3 percent in 2024 and continued growing through 2025, driven largely by re-exports that surged more than 200 percent in the first ten months of that year. Joint projects include a major AI and data-center campus in France with projected UAE investment of up to €50 billion, as referenced in council outcomes. Such initiatives position the two countries to collaborate on digital transformation and the global energy transition.
