France, Saudi Arabia agree $7bn theme park project near Paris
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France and Saudi Arabia agreed on a six-billion-euro ($7bn) amusement park project near Paris during Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's visit. The project, led by Saudi sovereign wealth fund arm Qiddiya, will create three theme parks and about 22,000 jobs. The deal was signed alongside agreements spanning energy, defence, AI and transport.
Key Facts
- The amusement park project near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30km northwest of Paris, will include three theme parks, one expected to be manga-themed.
- The project is expected to create roughly 22,000 jobs and will be led by Qiddiya, an investment arm of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund.
- French President Emmanuel Macron called the project "extraordinary" and said it would create a "new global destination" on the scale of Disneyland Paris.
- Two other contracts were signed with French companies: CMA CGM to help develop Jeddah Islamic Port for $434m, and Alstom to supply metro carriages for Riyadh's metro for $580m.
- The visit marks Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's third official trip to France.
Theme Park Project
France and Saudi Arabia announced plans for a six-billion-euro ($7bn) amusement park near Paris following talks between President Emmanuel Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the Elysee Palace. Macron's office said the project will see the construction of three theme parks, one of which is expected to be manga-themed, near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30km northwest of Paris. The project is expected to create roughly 22,000 jobs and will be led by Qiddiya, an investment arm of Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. Macron called the project "extraordinary" and said it would create a "new global destination" on the scale of Disneyland Paris. The project stemmed from a discussion between Macron and MBS in December 2024 in Riyadh, where they discovered their "shared passion" for manga, "and in particular Dragon Ball Z", an adviser to the French president told reporters.
Broader Deals
The agreement was among a raft of deals signed on Monday as Macron and Prince Mohammed seek to boost economic and defence ties between their two countries. The other agreements, signed in a ceremony attended by Macron and MBS, span energy, artificial intelligence, aviation financing, transport and health. Al Jazeera's Bernard Smith, reporting from Paris, said there was also "a letter of intent signed, reinforcing cooperation on defence – an exchange of expertise on cybersecurity, AI training and military training". The French presidency said two other contracts were signed with French companies during the Saudi crown prince's visit: one for the marine logistics company CMA CGM to help develop Saudi Arabia's Jeddah Islamic Port on the Red Sea, for $434m; and the other with rail transport group Alstom to supply metro carriages for Riyadh's metro, for $580m. The visit marks MBS's third official trip to France and comes as Saudi Arabia pursues security ties beyond its traditional partnerships.
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France, Saudi Arabia agree $7bn theme park project near Paris
