Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman made his first official visit to France on Sunday, meeting French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris and overseeing the signing of 12 agreements, memorandum of understanding and declarations of intent spanning infrastructure, energy, logistics, water, space and education, with projects worth approximately $2.25 billion announced across the two countries.
The most significant headline was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Oman’s Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the French Ministry of Transport covering the long-awaited Muscat Metro project. The planned network is expected to stretch 55 kilometres across 42 stations at a cost of around $2.6 billion, and its formal inclusion in an international partnership framework marks the clearest signal yet that the project is moving from planning to delivery.
The most significant headline was the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Oman’s
Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology and the French Ministry of Transport covering the long-awaited Muscat Metro project. The planned network is expected to stretch 55 kilometres across 42 stations at a cost of around $2.6 billion, and its formal inclusion in an international partnership framework marks the clearest signal yet that the project is moving from planning to delivery.
French shipping giant CMA CGM and Oman’s ASYAD Group signed a master terms agreement to develop and operate a multipurpose terminal at an Omani port, while SUEZ Group signed a water network management deal covering Greater Muscat. France’s EDF Group signed an agreement on the Wadi Dayqah Dam pumped-storage hydropower project, and Airbus formalised a partnership with Oman for the construction of OmanSat-1, the country’s first satellite.
In the startup and innovation space, the Oman Investment Authority signed a deal with Station F and HEC Paris to help Omani startups enter French and European markets.
Bilateral trade between Oman and France rose above 100 million Omani rials in 2025. French companies are already active across several sectors in Oman, including the OQ-TotalEnergies LNG project, the Manah 1 solar plant and power and water developments in Barka and Sohar. Both leaders also held formal talks on regional security, maritime navigation and the situation in the Middle East.
