Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and French President Emmanuel Macron discussed economic and defense cooperation in Doha on Oct. 20, with bilateral trade exceeding €1.3 billion in 2024.
The trade figure came from a Qatar-France joint statement issued in 2025. The governments said commerce between the two countries supports jobs and innovation in both.
At formal talks in Lusail Palace, the leaders also addressed investment and security cooperation, Qatar said. They had reviewed bilateral relations and regional developments in an earlier, separate meeting.
The economic backdrop includes Qatar’s 2024 commitment to invest €10 billion in French businesses and funds. A joint communiqué issued that year identified energy transition, artificial intelligence, aerospace and health among the sectors covered by the commitment.
Al-Thani called Macron’s trip the first state visit to Qatar by a French president. Qatar’s account of the talks announced no new agreement to supply diesel to France. The visit came amid France’s effort to secure Gulf diesel supplies.
