PARIS : France and Saudi Arabia have announced plans for a 6 billion euro ($7 billion) amusement park development near Paris, one of several agreements unveiled following talks between French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The project, announced on Monday after talks at the Elysee Palace, will comprise three theme parks near Cergy-Pontoise, about 30 km (19 miles) northwest of the French capital, according to Macron’s office. One of the parks is expected to have a manga theme.

The development will be led by Qiddiya, an investment company backed by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund, and is expected to create about 22,000 jobs.

Macron described the project as “extraordinary” and said it would establish a new international destination comparable in scale to Disneyland Paris. He said the investment reflected Saudi Arabia’s confidence in French expertise and supported his government’s efforts to attract foreign investment and create jobs.

“We’re not done surprising the world. Very proud of this achievement,” Macron said.

The project has its roots in talks between Macron and the Saudi crown prince, widely known as MBS, during the French president’s visit to Riyadh in December 2024.

An adviser to Macron said the two leaders had discovered a shared interest in manga during those discussions, particularly the Japanese franchise Dragon Ball Z.

The amusement park agreement formed part of a broader package of deals between France and Saudi Arabia covering energy, artificial intelligence, aviation financing, transport and healthcare.

The two countries also signed a letter of intent aimed at strengthening defence cooperation, including exchanges of expertise in cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and military training.

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