French President Emmanuel Macron has secured an extra 200,000 tonnes of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain during a Gulf tour, the French presidency announced Tuesday.
The Elysée said Macron obtained roughly 100,000 tonnes per month from the Emirates, with a further 100,000 tonnes monthly commitment from Bahrain.
Arriving in Manama, Macron was greeted by crowds of schoolchildren waving French and Bahraini flags.
The visit is part of a broader mission to lock in oil and diesel supplies from key Gulf suppliers and to lower fuel prices in France, following a weekend of violent protests sparked by soaring living costs.
Presidential advisers expressed satisfaction with the volume of diesel secured, while TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné, who is accompanying Macron, said the agreements would “reassure the French.”
France also released 10 million barrels from its reserves, aiming to cut diesel prices by 12‑18 cents (around 5‑8 %) from next month.
With the addition of deliveries from Saudi Arabia, France now has commitments of 295,000 tonnes per month—about 10 % of its consumption, the presidency added.
Bypassing Strait of Hormuz
Macron’s four‑day trip includes stops in the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar—all of which have been destabilised since February by the United States‑Iran war.
Crude oil prices have surged during the eight‑month conflict as Iran blocks the Strait of Hormuz, the main export conduit for Gulf energy.
The G7, chaired this year by France, agreed in early October to draw 100 million barrels from strategic reserves to ease market pressure.
Kuwait has pledged “very clear commitments” to deliver diesel and kerosene to the French overseas territories of Mayotte and Réunion via Oman, bypassing the strait.
The shipments will be routed through Oman, avoiding the Strait of Hormuz, the presidency said.
Talks are underway with regional partners to lower maritime insurance costs, enabling companies to ship larger volumes through the strait at reduced expense.
“In this way, we are strengthening our energy security with these long‑term commitments from our partners,” it said.
France and the United Kingdom have assembled an international mission to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz—primarily through de‑mining operations—once the US and Iran reach an agreement on the waterway. However, the two sides remain at an impasse.
Macron also discussed defence cooperation, as Gulf nations have faced thousands of Iranian missile and drone attacks.
Yemen’s Houthis have added further strain by firing on Saudi tankers in the Red Sea, striking oil sites and carrying out deadly attacks on Riyadh’s international airport.
France deployed its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the region in the spring, along with Rafale fighter jets, a frigate and air‑defence assets.
Macron also sent French soldiers to protect Yanbu, an oil terminal on Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast that has become a vital export conduit.
(with AFP)
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