Developments in recent months have demonstrated the progress of French and Francophone presence in Jeddah as well as the Franco-Saudi relationship expansion. Registrations of French citizens in the Consulate General of France in Jeddah, which covers the nine western provinces of the Kingdom, have increased by 23 percent in one year, reaching 2850 records, twice as much as their number, four years ago.

French citizens have never been as numerous in Jeddah and in the western part of the Kingdom.

This evolution has prompted us to relocate Jeddah’s international French school.

This school achieved for the second consecutive year a success rate of 100 percent at the French baccalaureate.

French speaking is expanding as well. Eight schools in Jeddah, offering francophone curricula, cooperate in view of offering common activities to their students.

Moreover, Jeddah’s French Alliance provides French courses to an increasing number of students.

Expanding numbers of Saudi nationals attend or contribute to the cultural events organized by the consulate general of France in Jeddah that has never been as numerous as in 2014.

This is for them an opportunity to discover and stay in contact with the French culture as well as to present their own art works to the Jeddah public.

Most of the artists and intellectuals in the city visit frequently our consulate which has become a central platform for networking and creativity.

Our website has seen a 54 percent increase of the number of Internauts in 2014.

In the field of economics, the Jeddah Saudi-French businessmen association, continuously adds new members — Saudis as well as French — and deploys its activities, even outside Jeddah.

The same applies to the dynamism of the Jeddah francophone doctors association.

The enthusiasm of Saudi nationals for tourism in France intensified this year also.

We have registered a 41 percent increase in the number of visas delivered since the beginning of the year, compared to the same period in 2014.

Regarding the French organizers of Makkah pilgrimage, they have recently founded an association, aiming to improve the services granted to pilgrims coming from France.

I would like to express my gratitude to our numerous Saudi friends who dedicate themselves to the French pilgrims in Makkah and Madinah.

I would like to convey my thanks to the Kingdom’s authorities and the Saudi people for their unique welcome and their kindness toward me and toward all the French citizens, residents or visitors.

I would like also to convey my thanks to the secretary general and the agents of the Islamic Cooperation Organization, for their friendship and trust.

During this holy month of Ramadan, I would like to reiterate our brotherly feelings to the numerous friends of France.

— Dr. Louis Blin Consul general of France