Macron secures additional Gulf diesel as France grapples with rising fuel costs

French President Emmanuel Macron has obtained agreements for an extra 200,000 tonnes of diesel each month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, the French presidency announced on Tuesday ahead of the president’s arrival in Qatar.

The three‑day tour of the Gulf, which also includes a stop in Kuwait, comes after a weekend of violent protests in France over the sharp increase in living costs, while the ongoing US‑Iran conflict continues to push energy prices upward.

According to the Élysée, the UAE will supply about 100,000 tonnes of diesel per month, and Bahrain will provide a further 100,000 tonnes during Macron’s visit. Combined with deliveries already arranged from Saudi Arabia, France now has commitments for 295,000 tonnes per month, a little more than 10 percent of its total consumption. Kuwait has also pledged “very clear commitments” to send diesel and kerosene to the French overseas territories of Mayotte and Réunion, with shipments routed through Oman to avoid the Strait of Hormuz.

Patrick Pouyanne, head of French oil company TotalEnergies and a member of Macron’s entourage, said the contracts would reassure the French public. “We are not going to run out of diesel in February,” he told AFP.

Andreas Krieg, a professor at King’s College London’s School of Security Studies, told Al Jazeera that France’s energy deals reflect a broader trend. Gulf states have recently dispatched delegations to capitals such as London, Paris, Berlin and Rome, seeking access to military complexes and potential stakes in European defence firms. “They see a growing entanglement between their interests and European interests,” he said, adding that the relationship extends beyond energy to supply chains. Both sides, he noted, feel pressure from a United States that is increasingly sidelining them, creating an opening to reduce reliance on Washington.

In Qatar, Macron’s agenda includes talks on security, defence, securing further energy supplies for France and advancing cooperation in artificial intelligence, according to Sheikha Alanoud Hamad Saud Al Thani, a political analyst and fellow at the Middle East Council for Global Affairs. She told Al Jazeera that Qatar values its long‑standing defence ties with France. “It comes as no surprise that the French are one of Qatar’s most important friends in Europe,” she said, describing the visit as “extremely consequential.” She added that Qatar is leveraging existing relationships to adapt to a new kind of asymmetrical warfare and is looking for progress in anti‑drone and defence capabilities.

The US‑Israel war has led Iran to block the Strait of Hormuz, the main outlet for Gulf energy exports, sending crude prices soaring during the eight‑month conflict. Diesel has been among the hardest hit commodities.

Earlier in October, the G7, chaired by France this year, agreed to draw up to 100 million barrels of oil from strategic reserves. France has also released 10 million barrels of diesel from its own stockpiles, aiming to lower prices by 12 to 18 cents per litre, roughly 5 to 8 percent, starting next month, the presidency said.