RIYADH: Major investment opportunities in the areas of tourism and culture, technology and clean energy are up for discussion when top officials from Saudi Arabia and France meet during a business forum in Paris this week. The French-Saudi Investment Forum, which kicks off on June 19, will address key issues across an array of sectors to create visibility for new investment opportunities for technology startups and entrepreneurship. Saudi Minister of Investment Khalid Al-Falih is leading a senior delegation at the forum to highlight the Kingdom’s commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new opportunities. Al-Falih and his counterpart Olivier Becht, minister for foreign trade, attractiveness and French nationals abroad, will make opening remarks at the event which also includes three panel discussions. The first panel will cover investment opportunities in Kingdom and the potential for collaboration with France in tourism and culture. The speakers include Fahd Hamidaddin, CEO of the Saudi Tourism Authority; and Jerry Inzerillo, CEO, of Diriyah Gate Development Authority. Speakers for the second panel which focuses on strengthening the tech ecosystem include Patrick Suel, fund manager at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology; and Faisal Al-Khamisi, chairman of the Saudi Federation for Cyber Security and Programming. The clean energy transition is the topic of the third panel with speakers including Sami Al-Saadan, clean hydrogen director, Saudi Ministry of Energy; and Beatrice Buffon, chairperson, EDF International. The forum will coincide with the official reception for delegates from 179 member states of the Bureau International des Expositions, the organizing body for International Expo exhibitions. On June 20, a ceremony will be held during the Bureau’s 172nd General Assembly Meeting to provide an overview of Riyadh’s bid to host the Expo 2030. The forum will conclude with bilateral business meetings during which Invest Saudi, the investment promotion platform for the Kingdom, will share opportunities available to French investors. Through these interactions, both parties aim to unlock new avenues, drive economic growth, and further strengthen the mutually beneficial relationship between the two nations. The forum is the latest in a series of high-level French-Saudi engagements over the last year designed to enhance the bilateral partnership.