Macron Visits UAE to Celebrate Christmas with French Troops and Boost Anti-Drug Cooperation

French President Emmanuel Macron began his visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on December 21, 2025, to celebrate Christmas alongside over 900 French soldiers stationed across three bases in the region. Accompanied by Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin, Macron's visit highlights France's strategic commitment to both maintaining a strong military presence and enhancing bilateral security cooperation with the UAE.

During his visit, Macron met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to discuss strengthening the partnership between both countries, particularly focusing on defense, security, and combatting drug trafficking. This cooperation comes against the backdrop of a surge in drug-related violence in France, exemplified by the assassination in November of Mehdi Kessaci, a militant anti-drug activist in Marseille.

French forces, deployed through operations such as Aspides—which protects vessels from Houthi attacks in the Red Sea—and Chammal—part of the coalition fight against ISIS—have also seized over 20 tons of drugs in the Indian Ocean in 2025, with the value of these narcotics reaching hundreds of millions of euros. However, officials acknowledge that these seizures represent only a small portion of the overall drug trafficking activities.

Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin has urged the UAE to extradite several drug trafficking suspects believed to be residing on its soil. Macron's discussions with UAE leadership emphasize this call for cooperation to seize assets linked to drug networks and enable arrests.

The visit’s timing, coinciding with Christmas, is symbolic, reflecting France's desire to support its troops deployed amid multiple regional crises and assert an autonomous military capability in a complex international environment. Macron also planned to address the troops directly and share a Christmas meal prepared by chefs from the Élysée Palace, underscoring the personal importance he places on the morale of French forces abroad.

Macron's UAE visit thus serves both a diplomatic and military purpose, deepening France-UAE strategic ties while tackling pressing security challenges related to drug trafficking and regional stability.