Against all odds, Emmanuel Macron spoke with the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia

Long handshake for a meeting in the spotlight, because very controversial. Emmanuel Macron is the first Western head of state to meet Mohammed ben Salman, the crown prince of Saudi Arabia nicknamed MBS, since he was accused of being involved in the assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in 2018. Objective according to Paris: to work for stability in the region without avoiding taboo subjects. “We were obviously able to discuss the issue of human rights, the sensitivity of the international community after what may have happened, it was a direct exchange, and I hope effective“, declared Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, December 4 in Riyadh.

A balancing act, because the prince is also strongly attacked for his role in the civil war in Yemen, which has already killed more than 350,000 people since 2015. Alongside the Yemeni government, MBS is suspected of having formed an alliance with Al-Qaeda to overcome the rebels houthis, Shiites supported by Iran. On Friday, a complaint was filed in Paris against him and the prince of the United Arab Emirates for terrorist financing. But it is difficult for France to weigh in the Gulf “not to mention Saudi Arabia, a major country “, believes Pascal Boniface, founder and director of IRIS.