UAE president to visit France on Monday -state news agency

By Trend

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan will fly to France on July 18 for his first official visit outside the region since taking office in May, Trend reports citing Reuters.

Sheikh Mohammed will meet French President Emmanuel Macron and discuss joint action in the fields of "future energy, climate change and advanced technology" and efforts to bolster regional security and stability, the state news agency WAM said.

Paris has close economic and political ties with Abu Dhabi and Macron has forged a good relationship with Sheikh Mohammed, who had already been leading the UAE for years as de facto ruler. France has a permanent military base in the UAE.

The two countries signed a series of major deals last year, including an arms contract worth $19 billion, during a visit by Macron to the Gulf state. French energy giants TotalEnergies and Engie also won billion-euro deals.