Saudi Gazette report

PARIS —The second meeting of the Saudi-French Ministerial Committee for AlUla underlined its commitment to work together to promote the bilateral partnership for AlUla to an even higher level. The committee members of the two governments discussed the major ongoing and future projects for Saudi-French cooperation in AlUla, according to a joint statement.

The Saudi-French Ministerial Committee of the Intergovernmental Agreement of 10 April 2018 related to cultural, environmental, tourism, human and economic development and to the promotion of heritage of the AlUla governorate met for the second time on 15 November 2024 in Paris. The meeting was co-chaired by Saudi Minister of Culture and Governor of the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) Prince Badr bin Abdullah and French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot.

The committee meeting brought together Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih, in addition to Acting CEO of RCA Abeer AlAkel. The meeting was also attended by French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, French Minister of Economy, Finance and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty Antoine Armand, and Chairman of the French Agency for the Development of AlUla (AfAlUla) Jean-Yves Le Drian.

During the meeting, the ministers commended the success of the ambitious and unique partnership that France and Saudi Arabia are conducting in AlUla. They welcomed the extensive cooperation that it has achieved in numerous fields, including with regards culture and human exchanges.

The committee discussed the major ongoing and future projects for Saudi-French cooperation in AlUla. They praised the progress of the Villa Hégra, a joint Saudi-French cultural institution dedicated to arts and culture for France and Saudi Arabia, as set out in the Intergovernmental Agreement signed by France and Saudi Arabia on the 4 December 2021. They welcomed the success of the archeological program in AlUla, which has brought together nearly 150 French researchers and archaeologists since 2018.

The representatives of the two governments also commended the launch of the partnership between the RCU and the Université Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne. They underlined their appreciation for the participation of French companies in the success of this partnership, particularly through the Tramway project conducted by ALSTOM, and the project for the Sharaan Resort designed by Jean Nouvel architectural firm and to be built by Bouygues.

In the joint statement, the committee members expressed their desire to maximize, through their cooperation, the impact of this partnership for AlUla, reflecting its unique cultural and historical identity. They underlined AlUla’s significance as a cultural landmark and its role in preserving Saudi heritage.