Vision Golfe: A New Platform for Business Cooperation Between France and the Gulf States
France and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have been strengthening their political, economic, and cultural ties over the past few years. To further promote business cooperation in high-growth potential markets in both private and public sectors, a landmark two-day business event called Vision Golfe will be held in Paris on Tuesday. This new platform aims to accelerate commercial partnerships between France and key players in the region such as Saudi Arabia, to promote new opportunities across various sectors.
The event will feature discussions on the climate for the global economy, energy transition, building smart cities, and addressing food security and sovereignty challenges. It will also highlight French know-how, brand quality and excellence, and the country’s approach to addressing food security and sovereignty challenges.
Day one of the event will begin with opening remarks by Bruno Le Maire, France’s minister of economy, finance, and industrial and digital sovereignty, and Laurent Saint-Martin, director general of Business France. Participants include French and regional ministers; GCC Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi; Bandar Alkhorayef, the Saudi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources; Laurent Saint-Martin, director general of Business France; Magali Cesana, head of bilateral affairs at the French Treasury; and Anne Gueguen, MENA director at the French Foreign Ministry.
The discussions on day one will focus on how energy transition anchored in GCC national visions such as Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 and France’s Vision 2030 align with supply security, and building smart cities in the Gulf as a key element for a sustainable future. Arab News Editor-in-Chief Faisal J. Abbas will host a discussion on geopolitics and the new business dynamics in an era of uncertainty and global challenges.
Day two of the event will highlight how GCC countries are using artificial intelligence to drive their digital transformation to diversify their economies, the GCC’s handling of the new global green logistics, and the pillars to boost tourism development in the GCC, including sports and entertainment. There will also be discussions on topics including best practices for building lasting partnerships, and opportunities for cooperation and investment, with France as the most attractive destination in Europe for foreign direct investments.
According to Axel Baroux, trade and investment commissioner of Business France Middle East, French exports to the GCC were valued at $16.5 billion in 2022, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE constituting the largest markets in a region marked by considerable growth in trade. Vision Golfe aims to accelerate commercial partnerships between France and key players in the region such as Saudi Arabia, to promote new opportunities across various sectors.
In conclusion, Vision Golfe is a new platform promoting business cooperation between France and the Gulf states. The event will showcase opportunities for commercial partnerships in high-growth potential markets in both private and public sectors, such as trade, sports, culture, energy and the environment. Key economic players, government ministers, small business managers, start-ups and senior executives will have the opportunity to meet and exchange views. The discussions will focus on topics including energy transition, building smart cities, addressing food security and sovereignty challenges, and using artificial intelligence to drive digital transformation. The event aims to accelerate commercial partnerships between France and key players in the region such as Saudi Arabia, to promote new opportunities across various sectors.