Bertrand Bzansno, French ambassador to Saudi Arabia, expects the volume of mutual nuclear projects between Saudi Arabia and France to exceed $50 billion.

The ambassador said nuclear agreements between Saudi Arabia and France have been signed since 2011 and that there would be a joint meeting to discuss the agreement during the next three months.

This statement came after the French ambassador attended the ceremony for launching a Vallourec factory for petrol pipelines in Dammam’s second industrial city.

He added that during his last visit to Saudi Arabia, the French president concentrated on forging Saudi-French partnerships in the fields of advanced technology. He pointed out that there are more than 70 French companies in Saudi Arabia with more than 20,000 employees.

The French ambassador said France is Saudi Arabia’s third international partner. “The French government is working to further partnership and investment between the two countries,” he added.

He said Saudi investments in France are concentrated in the real estate sector. “We are working with our Saudi partners in the field of advanced technology,” he said.

Bzansno expected the number of Saudi students in France to increase within the next few years to 4,000 after agreements were signed between French universities and the Saudi Ministry for Higher Education.

He said the French government encourages Saudis to study in France and that the number of scholarship students increased from a mere 100 to 1,400 in six years.