At the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman transformed a shared love of manga into a six-billion-euro anchor for something far larger: a realignment of economic, military, and diplomatic ties between France and Saudi Arabia. Three theme parks near Paris — one manga-themed, all funded by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund — will rise as the most visible symbol of a partnership that also spans defence cooperation, energy, rail infrastructure, and regional diplomacy. The visit reminds us that grand geopolitical pivots sometimes begin in the most unexpected
France, Saudi Arabia seal $7bn theme park deal near Paris amid broader economic push
We're not done surprising the world. Very proud of this achievement.
Mark
Why would Saudi Arabia invest seven billion euros in theme parks near Paris? That seems like an odd choice for a sovereign wealth fund.
Mimi
It's not random. The crown prince and Macron discovered they shared a passion for manga during talks in Riyadh. But more broadly, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its investments and its partnerships. Building a global destination near Paris serves multiple purposes—it's a visible symbol of the bilateral relationship, it generates jobs and prestige, and it positions Saudi capital in a major Western economy.
Mark
So this is partly about soft power?
Mimi
Absolutely. But it's also about genuine economic diversification. Saudi Arabia is moving away from oil dependency and looking for places to deploy its wealth fund. France offers stability, expertise, and access to European markets. The theme parks are the headline, but look at the other deals—ports, metro systems, defence cooperation. It's a comprehensive economic and strategic embrace.
Mark
The joint statement touches on Gaza, Iran, the Houthis. Are those issues connected to the economic deals?
Mimi
They're part of the same conversation. When two countries are deepening ties, they're also aligning on regional issues. The statement shows they're coordinating on Middle Eastern security and diplomacy. For France, it's a way to maintain influence in the region. For Saudi Arabia, it's part of that broader pivot—showing it's building partnerships with multiple powers, not just the United States.
Mark
What does this mean for France's role in the Middle East?
Mimi
It suggests France sees an opportunity to be a significant player in Saudi Arabia's modernization and security architecture. The defence cooperation, the infrastructure contracts, the investment flows—these are all ways France is positioning itself as a trusted partner as Saudi Arabia reshapes its alliances.
Mark
And the manga theme park is the story people will remember?
Mimi
It's the story that makes the partnership tangible and human. A theme park near Paris is something people can visit, something they can see and experience. It's more memorable than a cybersecurity agreement, even if both matter.
The Pulse
- A casual shared enthusiasm for Dragon Ball Z between two heads of state has quietly matured into a €6 billion construction commitment, catching the world's attention for its sheer improbability.
- The scale of disruption is real: 22,000 jobs, three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, and a manga-themed attraction positioned to challenge Disneyland Paris as Europe's premier destination.
- Beneath the spectacle, harder agreements are taking shape — Alstom wins $580 million for Riyadh metro carriages, CMA CGM secures $434 million at Jeddah's Red Sea port, and a defence letter of intent opens doors to cybersecurity and AI cooperation.
- Saudi Arabia's visit to Paris is its third under MBS, but its first since signing a trilateral defence pact with Turkey and Pakistan — signalling a deliberate strategy to multiply alliances rather than depend on any single partner.
- Both leaders used the occasion to project diplomatic weight, issuing a joint statement on Iran, Gaza, the Strait of Hormuz, Lebanon, and Yemen — framing bilateral commerce within a broader claim to regional influence.
At the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman transformed a shared love of manga into a six-billion-euro anchor for something far larger: a realignment of economic, military, and diplomatic ties between France and Saudi Arabia. Three theme parks near Paris — one manga-themed, all funded by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund — will rise as the most visible symbol of a partnership that also spans defence cooperation, energy, rail infrastructure, and regional diplomacy. The visit reminds us that grand geopolitical pivots sometimes begin in the most unexpected of conversations, and that culture, commerce, and strategy are rarely as separate as they appear.
When Emmanuel Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met at the Élysée Palace on Monday, the conversation that had begun in Riyadh last December finally took concrete form: a €6 billion commitment to build three theme parks northwest of Paris, near Cergy-Pontoise, roughly thirty kilometers from the city center. One park will be manga-themed, a direct expression of the two leaders' shared passion for the genre — Dragon Ball Z in particular. Developed by Qiddiya, the investment arm of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund, the project is expected to generate around 22,000 jobs and, in Macron's framing, rival Disneyland Paris in global reach.
Macron positioned the investment as a crowning achievement of his 'Choose France' initiative, calling it a validation of French talent and a sign that the country was not finished surprising the world. But the theme parks were only the most photogenic element of a much denser day of agreements. France and Saudi Arabia signed deals spanning energy, aviation financing, transport, health, and artificial intelligence. Alstom secured a $580 million contract to supply metro carriages for Riyadh, while CMA CGM won a $434 million deal to help develop Jeddah's Islamic Port on the Red Sea. A letter of intent on defence cooperation — covering cybersecurity, AI training, and military exchange — added a strategic dimension to what might otherwise have appeared a purely commercial visit.
The crown prince's trip is his third to France, but it arrives at a particular moment: his first international journey since Saudi Arabia signed a trilateral defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan earlier in August. Riyadh is clearly diversifying its security relationships, and Paris is positioning itself as an indispensable partner in that reconfiguration. For France, the engagement offers both a foothold in Saudi Arabia's sweeping modernization agenda and continued relevance in one of the world's most consequential defence markets.
The two leaders also issued a joint statement reaching across several regional fault lines — calling for a negotiated resolution between the US and Iran, demanding restored shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, welcoming a Hamas disarmament agreement, pressing for a Gaza ceasefire, affirming Palestinian statehood, and condemning Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and commercial vessels. What the visit ultimately reveals is two nations recalibrating their place in a shifting world, using investment, defence, and diplomacy in concert — with a manga theme park as the unlikely emblem of it all.
Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman sat down at the Élysée Palace on Monday with an unusual shared enthusiasm: a love of manga, and Dragon Ball Z in particular. That conversation, which had begun in Riyadh last December, has now crystallized into a six-billion-euro commitment to build three theme parks northwest of Paris, near the town of Cergy-Pontoise, roughly thirty kilometers from the city center. One of the parks will be manga-themed. The project is expected to generate around 22,000 jobs and will be developed by Qiddiya, the investment arm of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
Macron described the undertaking as extraordinary, positioning it as a landmark achievement for his "Choose France" initiative, which aims to draw foreign capital and employment to the country. He framed the Saudi investment as a validation of French talent and expertise, and spoke of creating a destination that would rival Disneyland Paris in global reach. The French president said he was proud of what had been accomplished, noting that France was not finished surprising the world.
But the theme parks were only one piece of a much larger economic and strategic realignment taking shape during the crown prince's visit. On the same day, France and Saudi Arabia signed agreements spanning energy, artificial intelligence, aviation financing, transport, and health. Two major contracts were inked with French companies: the marine logistics firm CMA CGM secured a $434 million deal to help develop Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Islamic Port on the Red Sea, while the rail transport group Alstom won a $580 million contract to supply metro carriages for Riyadh's metro system. A letter of intent was also signed to deepen defence cooperation, including exchanges of expertise on cybersecurity, AI training, and military training.
The visit marks the crown prince's third official trip to France and arrives at a moment when Saudi Arabia is deliberately broadening its strategic partnerships. It was his first international journey since signing a trilateral defence agreement with Turkey and Pakistan earlier in August, a move that signals Riyadh's intention to diversify its security relationships beyond longstanding alliances. For France, the engagement reflects a determination to maintain influence in a significant defence market and to secure a foothold in Saudi Arabia's ambitious modernization agenda.
Beyond the commercial and military dimensions, Macron and the crown prince issued a joint statement addressing several regional tensions. They called for a negotiated resolution to the conflict between the United States and Iran, demanded the restoration of normal shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and welcomed a US-brokered agreement on Hamas's disarmament while pressing for a lasting ceasefire in Gaza. Both men affirmed support for Palestinian statehood and called for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory. They also condemned attacks by Yemen's Houthis on Saudi Arabia and commercial vessels, and voiced backing for Syria's stability and recovery.
What emerges from the visit is a picture of two nations seeking to deepen ties across multiple domains—economic investment, defence capability, and regional diplomacy—at a moment when the Middle East's geopolitical landscape is shifting. The theme park may be the most visible symbol of the partnership, but it is one element in a broader repositioning that reflects both countries' calculations about their place in a changing world.
Notable Quotes
The project stems from a December 2024 discussion between Macron and MBS in Riyadh, where they discovered their shared passion for manga, particularly Dragon Ball Z.— French presidential adviser
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Politics & Governance