SAUDI ARABIA TO INVEST €6BN IN THREE THEME PARKS NEAR PARIS

France and Saudi Arabia signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday for a €6 billion investment to construct three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, approximately 30 kilometres northwest of Paris. The agreement was signed during a two-day visit to France by Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. One of the three parks is expected to be manga-themed, whilst the themes of the other two remain undisclosed. French President Emmanuel Macron described the announcement as "unprecedented" on social media platform X and said the attractions would become a "new global destination".

The project will be developed by Qiddiya, an investment firm owned by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund. According to the French presidency, the parks are projected to generate approximately 22,000 direct jobs, compared with around 20,000 jobs created by Disneyland Paris. The idea originated from discussions between Macron and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in December 2024 in Riyadh, where they discovered their shared interest in manga, particularly the anime series Dragon Ball Z, according to an adviser to Macron. Reports of plans for a manga-themed park in the Val-d'Oise region had circulated during summer 2026 without official confirmation.

Construction is expected to proceed in stages over several years, though no opening date has been announced by the Élysée. The visit represents a rare foreign journey for the crown prince, with the French presidency noting that his international travel typically occurs only for official summits. The trip was also focused on bilateral negotiations and discussion of the current Middle East crisis.