Pragmatism without moral scruples, realpolitik, usually prevails on the international scene. One of the most shocking examples is Muhammad bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, true strongman of the Wahhabi kingdom. Less than five years ago, he became an outcast, a scourge, after the brutal murder and dismemberment of journalist and dissident Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Even the United States, the great protector of Riyadh for eighty years, targeted Bin Salman as the instigator of the atrocious action at the diplomatic headquarters, a fact of unprecedented gravity.
The Saudi leader, 37 years old and known by the acronym MBS, arrived in Paris yesterday for an official visit that will last more than a week. He and his large entourage will have time for official engagements, including a working lunch with Emmanuel Macron at the Elysée tomorrow, and to enjoy everything the French capital has to offer guests who don’t worry about bills. The super-luxury jewelers of the Place Vendôme can rub their hands together.
Bin Salman’s presence in Paris is another step towards full rehabilitation – if not morally, then in diplomatic practice – a process that despairs the human rights defenders. But the enormous Saudi economic potential is too tempting for Western democracies. They don’t want others with less prejudice, like China, to take the business. The French defense industry, for example, is interested in taking care of a large arms buyer, as it does with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Paris also takes into account the investments of Saudi sovereign funds and the contracts of French companies in the pharaonic projects of Bin Salman – such as the megacity Neom, in the desert, or tourist complexes on the Red Sea -, aimed at preparing the country for a future in which a drastic decrease in the use of hydrocarbons is foreseen. The French ambassador in Riyadh tweeted that the visit is “an opportunity to strengthen the strategic partnership between France and Saudi Arabia”.
Bin Salman was already in Paris in July last year, a critical moment due to the war in Ukraine and the risk of an uncontrolled rise in the price of energy. This time, according to a note from the Elysée, Macron and his guest will talk about stability in the Middle East (especially the situation in Syria, Iraq, Lebanon and Yemen) and the repercussions of the conflict ukrainian One of the aims of Bin Salman’s visit is to attend, next week (June 22 and 23), the summit organized by Macron for a new global financial pact to relieve the poor debtor countries, all within a framework of support for the climate transition and protection of biodiversity.
During the days he will stay in Paris, Bin Salman will hold meetings and lobby to promote Riyadh’s bid for the 2030 World Expo. Organizing the event is part of the larger long-term effort to achieve a dominant position in Saudi Arabia in the regional context. Therefore, the country also dreams of hosting the World Cup as soon as possible, as Qatar did, and that is why its clubs are spending a fortune to sign veteran stars, such as Cristiano Ronaldo or Karim Benzema.
In a more strictly geopolitical sphere, the Saudis have assumed a decisive role in reshaping the environment, with the rapprochement with Iran – with the mediation of China – and, recently, with the organization of the Arab League in Jiddah, where another illustrious international pest, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, was readmitted. The newspaper Le Monde, one of the media that devotes more resources to international coverage and analysis, recently described the Saudis as “the masters of the game” in the Middle East, where they seek to implement “the peace of the autocrats”.
Except for a surprise, the French presidency only plans to accredit journalists, tomorrow, to observe the arrival of Bin Salman, the honors and the greeting of Macron in the courtyard of the Elysée. No press conference is scheduled. Red carpet, yes, but no awkward questions.
