Macron secures Gulf diesel supplies as France grapples with fuel costs, unrest

French President Emmanuel Macron has secured commitments for an additional 200,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain during a Gulf tour, the Elysee Palace said Tuesday, as high fuel prices fuel public anger in France.

What happened: The French presidency said in a statement that the additional supplies comprise around 100,000 metric tons a month from the UAE and another 100,000 monthly expected to be secured during Macron’s stop in Bahrain later Tuesday.

The Elysee Palace said that in addition to deliveries from Saudi Arabia, France now has commitments for 295,000 metric tons of diesel per month from the Gulf, accounting for just over 10% of the country’s consumption.

Kuwait also committed to deliver diesel and kerosene to the French overseas territories of Mayotte and Reunion in the Indian Ocean, with shipments routed through Oman to bypass the disrupted Strait of Hormuz, according to the statement.

Macron began his three-day tour in Kuwait on Monday before traveling to the UAE. His itinerary continued through Bahrain on Tuesday and Qatar on that evening. He will head back to France on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia is not part of the tour. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot headed to Riyadh on Sunday ahead of talks with his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, the Saudi Press Agency reported Monday.

Why it matters: Securing more fuel supplies has become a political priority for Macron as high energy prices add to the cost-of-living pressures driving unrest in France. What began as student demonstrations over school conditions has widened into protests over economic grievances and dissatisfaction with the government, with rioting and looting sweeping French cities over the weekend.

The Gulf trip was announced on Oct. 14. The Elysee said its objectives included securing energy supplies and transport routes to ease the impact of the energy crisis on French households, alongside strengthening economic and security ties with Gulf partners.

The US-Israeli war against Iran and disruptions to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz have constrained regional energy exports. Global diesel benchmarks remained close to twice their pre-crisis levels in October despite easing from September’s record highs, according to the International Energy Agency.

The Elysee said Tuesday that discussions were also underway with Middle Eastern energy producers to lower maritime insurance costs, allowing companies to ship more cargoes through the strait at lower cost.

Know more: France’s search for supplies comes as disruptions in the Middle East and damage to Russian refineries squeeze the global diesel market. Combined net exports of diesel and gasoil from the Middle East and Russia fell more than 60% year on year in September, the IEA said in its October oil market report.

The agency expects diesel markets to remain tight well into 2027, with sustained recovery dependent on restoring Middle Eastern supplies. It said Russia’s recent easing of diesel export restrictions was unlikely to substantially improve availability because damaged refining capacity continues to constrain production.