Sheikh Mohamed, Emmanuel Macron hold talks on AI, investment

President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan met French President Emmanuel Macron in Abu Dhabi on Sunday during an official working visit focused on bilateral ties and future co-operation.

The meeting took place at the Zayed National Museum, where the two leaders exchanged New Year greetings and reviewed the long-standing relationship between the UAE and France, according to state news agency Wam.

Discussions centered on expanding cooperation across economic and investment sectors, as well as culture, renewable energy, advanced technology, artificial intelligence and sustainability. Sheikh Mohamed later hosted a lunch in honor of the French President.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed, Deputy Chief of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; along with ministers and senior officials from both countries.

Mr Macron arrived in Abu Dhabi earlier on Sunday and was received at the Presidential Airport by Sheikh Khaled and senior officials. Later in the day, Sheikh Khaled accompanied the French President on a tour of the Zayed National Museum, including the gallery dedicated to the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The gallery documents Sheikh Zayed’s leadership and values through archival material, personal belongings and recorded speeches. The museum houses more than 3,000 artefacts, with around half currently on display across six permanent galleries.

The Abu Dhabi meeting follows talks held in Paris in February, where Sheikh Mohamed and Mr Macron discussed cooperation in artificial intelligence and endorsed a bilateral framework on the responsible use of the technology. The two countries also continue to work together on energy and climate initiatives under existing partnership agreements.