Macron Begins State Visit to Qatar as Part of Gulf Tour

Macron landed in Doha on 20 October 2026 and was received at Hamad International Airport by Deputy Prime Minister Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman bin Hassan Al Thani. Fighter jets escorted his plane and a state motorcade carried him through Doha to Lusail Palace. The Emir welcomed him with cannon salvos and a cavalry procession, according to Euronews.

At Lusail Palace the two leaders met to discuss strengthening strategic ties. They talked about energy security, defence cooperation, regional stability, investments and cooperation in multiple fields, according to the French presidency. The meeting was part of a two‑day state visit to Qatar.

France announced that it had secured pledges of 200,000 tonnes of diesel a month from the UAE and Bahrain combined, and 100,000 tonnes a month from Saudi Arabia, bringing total commitments to 295,000 tonnes, about 10 % of French consumption, according to the French presidency. TotalEnergies and Engie executives travelled with Macron to support the deals.

Qatar’s foreign ministry said the talks would be followed by a strategic dialogue on Wednesday. The dialogue would cover many regional matters of mutual concern, including energy, the economy, investment and defence, according to the ministry’s director of media and communication Ibrahim bin Sultan Al Hashmi. Qatar has described France as a friend and ally during the ongoing regional crisis.

The visit comes amid violent protests in France over the cost of living and rising fuel prices. Protesters demanded better education infrastructure and government action on the cost‑of‑living crisis. Disruptions to refined oil supplies caused up to 20 % of French petrol stations to run out of fuel since the Iran war began, according to Al Jazeera.