Macron secures Gulf diesel deals amid French fuel protests

Summarised from 4 outlets · 10 reports · Updated 21 Oct, 11:32 · Archive

French President Emmanuel Macron has secured commitments for an extra 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the UAE and Bahrain.

French President Emmanuel Macron is undertaking a three-day tour of the Gulf to secure energy supplies and address rising fuel prices in France, which has been rocked by violent protests over the cost of living.

The UAE and Bahrain have committed to delivering an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month—approximately 100,000 tonnes from each country. Together with existing deliveries from Saudi Arabia, France now has commitments for 295,000 tonnes of diesel monthly, equivalent to just over 10 per cent of French consumption.

Macron has already visited Kuwait and the UAE, where he and Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan reaffirmed cooperation in energy, technology and artificial intelligence. France and Kuwait signed eight agreements covering defence, artificial intelligence and investment. He is currently in Qatar for state talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, before visiting Bahrain. Patrick Pouyanne, chief executive of French oil giant TotalEnergies, is travelling with Macron.

Macron said on Tuesday that the deals were 'reducing our dependency'. TotalEnergies' Pouyanne told the AFP news agency: 'We are not going to run out of diesel in February.' The French presidency said Kuwait had also given 'very clear commitments' to deliver diesel and kerosene to French overseas territories Mayotte and Reunion in the Indian Ocean via Oman, bypassing the Strait of Hormuz.

Macron departed for Kuwait on Sunday shortly after addressing violent protests in France that erupted over the weekend, which French officials say led to over 2,500 arrests. He defended his travel by noting that fuel prices were contributing to the unrest. He received criticism from Marine Le Pen on the right, who said France was 'caught in a vice between violence and impotence', and from left-wing socialist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who accused Macron's government of 'inaction and police brutality'.

Analysts noted that Macron's visit reflects a broader pattern of Gulf states seeking closer ties with European nations. Andreas Krieg, a professor at King's College London's School of Security Studies, told Al Jazeera that Gulf states have been sending delegations to European capitals seeking access to military complexes and stakes in defence companies, viewing their interests as increasingly entwined with European strategic concerns beyond energy.

How it is being reported

• REPLAY: French president addresses fuel supplies during Gulf tourFrench President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he had secured the delivery of an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain. He is currently in Doha as part of a tour of the Gulf. "We are reducing our dependency" he said whilst speaking to the press on October 21.France 24 · 21 Oct, 11:18
• France's Macron begins state visit to Qatar as part of wider Gulf tourFacing protests at home over the cost of living, Macron is seeking energy deals with Gulf partners to help ease fuel prices in France. His talks in Qatar focus on energy security and regional stability, but also on strenghtening France and EU's strategic ties with the region.Euronews · 20 Oct, 18:35
• As Macron visits Gulf, can France forge its own energy-for-security future?President Macron's Gulf visit aims to address rising energy prices and strengthen ties amid regional security concerns.Al Jazeera · 20 Oct, 18:22
• Macron lines up more Gulf diesel as France battles soaring fuel pricesThe UAE and Bahrain deals increase French commitments to 295,000 tonnes a month, just over 10 percent of consumption.Al Jazeera · 20 Oct, 17:33
• France's decades-long ties with Gulf states built on 'economic development, oil, defence agreements'Genie Godula is pleased to welcome François Gouyette, former French ambassador to the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Against a backdrop of violent unrest at home and escalating conflict in the Middle East, French President Emmanuel Macron's Gulf diplomacy underscores the increasingly blurred boundaries between domestic economic security and international strategic commitments. Ambassador Gouyette argues that the visit serves a dual purpose: alleviating France's energy pressures while reaffirming its longstanding defense partnerships with Gulf monarchies. Insisting that "France has to play its role as…France 24 · 20 Oct, 16:52
• Macron jets out of riot-torn France for Gulf trip as political pressure mountsFrench President Emmanuel Macron left for Kuwait energy talks as riots raged, drawing sharp criticism from Marine Le Pen and Jean-Luc Mélenchon.Fox News · 20 Oct, 16:03
• Macron secures 200,000 tonnes of extra diesel per month from UAE, BahrainFrench President Emmanuel Macron has secured the delivery of an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the French presidency said on Tuesday. Macron is undertaking a tour of key energy suppliers in the Gulf in an effort to secure oil and diesel and bring down prices in France, after a weekend of violent protests over soaring living costs. FRANCE 24'S Tarek Kaï reports from Doha, Qatar.France 24 · 20 Oct, 14:49
• Macron secures diesel deals on Gulf visit as fuel prices stoke unrest in FranceFrench President Emmanuel Macron has obtained commitments to deliver an additional 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain during a tour of the Gulf, his office said Tuesday as the French government scrambles to address a cost-of-living crisis that has fuelled unrest in the country.France 24 · 20 Oct, 10:44
• Macron kicks off three-day Gulf tour, seeks securing fuel supplies amid crisisFrench President Emmanuel Macron on Monday began a Gulf tour aimed at securing oil and diesel supplies in an effort to bring down prices, after a weekend of violent protests sparked by soaring living costs. Macron, just hours after slamming France's "unbridled" violence in an address late on Sunday, arrived in OPEC member Kuwait where he was welcomed by the emir, Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. FRANCE 24's International Affairs Editor Kethevane Gorjestani tells us more.France 24 · 19 Oct, 15:02
• France 'has to assist' Gulf states, diplomat says as Macron makes three-day visitFrench President Emmanuel Macron is making a three-day visit to the Gulf states focused on fuel supplies and strategic ties. The French leader will first visit Kuwait before heading to the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar. The Elysée Palace said Macron would seek commitments for additional deliveries of diesel and petrol that could increase supplies available to France.France 24 · 19 Oct, 13:43

In this story: Emmanuel Macron · United Arab Emirates · Bahrain · Kuwait · Qatar · Saudi Arabia · TotalEnergies · France

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