France and Saudi Arabia have agreed on a €6 billion ($7 billion) amusement park project near Paris, as the two countries seek to deepen economic, defence and strategic ties.
The agreement was announced following talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Élysée Palace in Paris on Monday.
The project, to be led by Qiddiya, the investment arm of Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, will involve the construction of three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30km northwest of Paris. One of the parks is expected to feature a manga theme.
French authorities estimate the development could create about 22,000 jobs. Macron described the project as an “extraordinary” investment that could establish a new global tourist destination comparable with Disneyland Paris.
The French president said the deal reflected Saudi Arabia’s confidence in French expertise and supported his efforts to attract foreign investment and create jobs in France.
The project dates back to discussions between Macron and Prince Mohammed during the Saudi leader’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024. During those talks, the two reportedly discovered a shared interest in manga, particularly the Dragon Ball franchise.
The theme park agreement was part of a broader package of deals covering energy, artificial intelligence, aviation financing, transport, health and defence.
The two countries also signed a letter of intent to strengthen defence cooperation, including cybersecurity, artificial intelligence training and military expertise. Saudi Arabia is an important market for French defence companies as Riyadh seeks to diversify its strategic partnerships.
Other major commercial agreements included a $434 million deal for French shipping and logistics group CMA CGM to support the development of Jeddah Islamic Port on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast.
French rail group Alstom also secured a $580 million contract to supply metro carriages for Riyadh’s expanding metro network.
The visit was Prince Mohammed’s third official trip to France and his first foreign visit since Saudi Arabia signed a trilateral defence agreement with Turkiye and Pakistan earlier this month.
Beyond trade and investment, Macron and Prince Mohammed discussed several regional conflicts and security issues. The two countries called for a negotiated resolution to the conflict between the United States and Iran and urged the restoration of normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
They also backed efforts towards a ceasefire in Gaza, reaffirmed support for Palestinian statehood and called for Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory.
The two leaders further condemned attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on Saudi Arabia and commercial shipping, while expressing support for Syria’s stability and economic recovery.
