In 2023, the AlUla project celebrated five years of fruitful
Franco-Saudi cooperation and partnership, guided by ambitious goals for sustainable development. During his visit to Jeddah
in December 2021, the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron, himself spoke of a success that was going “beyond his expectations”.
Last July, the Kingdom once more reaffirmed its confidence
in France, committing to a continuation of the partnership between the French Agency for AlUla Development and its Saudi partner, the Royal Commission for AlUla, for a further 5 years.
The journey continues. One that will see the achievement of
a series of decisive milestones in all the areas covered by
the project, with the aim of making this region with its exceptional heritage one of the Kingdom's cultural capitals
and a leading world tourist destination.
This common perspective is part of the Vision 2030 plan, initiated by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman, with the goal
of modernizing the country and diversifying its economy.
By focusing on youth, innovation, sustainability and openness
to the world, Vision 2030 strengthens the Kingdom in its role
as a driver of trade and international relations.
The AlUla project is at the heart of this ambition. Its aim is to
turn the region into a major cultural and tourist attraction, by celebrating its multi-millennial history. Indeed, AlUla has been
a remarkable crossroads of civilisations that have left behind
an inestimably rich heritage. By reconnecting with its great history, Saudi Arabia is reminding the world of the Kingdom's contribution to the universal narrative.
The Agency's mission is to support Saudi Arabia in this transformation by mobilising French excellence in regional development, cultural engineering and tourism. It is by acting
as a catalyst that France will be able to fulfil its vital mission: create the conditions for enhanced international cooperation
in the Middle East and worldwide.
I am pleased to be working alongside the AFALULA teams and
our Saudi partners to continue the work already underway
to promote AlUla international outreach and the future of
the Kingdom.
