Madar (International) - French President Emmanuel Macron arrived in Bahrain on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, on a three-day Gulf tour that has already taken him to Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, with Qatar his next stop, Al Jazeera reported.
Paris is seeking to secure oil and gas supplies and strengthen defence ties as the war on Iran disrupts global fuel shipments. Macron is accompanied by senior executives from TotalEnergies and Engie, France's two biggest energy groups, with oil prices hovering above $100 a barrel.
Citing Bloomberg, Al Jazeera reported that the UAE committed on Tuesday to supplying France with 100,000 tonnes of diesel a month for an unspecified period, that Bahrain agreed to the same monthly volume, and that Saudi Arabia will provide 95,000 tonnes in each of October and November via TotalEnergies. Up to 20 percent of French petrol stations have run out of petrol and diesel at various times.
On the first day of the tour, France and Kuwait signed eight agreements and cooperation documents covering defence, artificial intelligence and investment. On Monday in Abu Dhabi, Macron met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to cooperation in energy, advanced technology and AI.
The trip comes as France is gripped by violent protests over the cost of living and spending cuts. Andreas Krieg of King's College London told Al Jazeera that France can offer Gulf states military capabilities "not entirely dependent" on the United States, while warning that a growing defensive role could draw Paris into the conflict.
