Which business parks are occupied by French companies in Abu Dhabi?
Jean-Pierre Giraud - The French presence in the Emirate has grown considerably since the arrival of Total some forty years ago. Today, of course, the oil and oil-related sectors still play a predominant role, as does defence, since most of the major players in this sector are present in the Emirate, including Thalès, Matra, EADS, Thomson and Dassault. But among the 200 French companies registered in Abu Dhabi, we find, alongside the major players, a myriad of SMEs and liberal professions: decorators, doctors, lawyers, stylists, hairdressers, etc. France is also developing its cultural presence, particularly since the opening of Paris Sorbonne Abu Dhabi, an annex of the Sorbonne in Paris inaugurated last October. With nearly 10,000 French nationals living in the United Arab Emirates - 4,500 of them in Abu Dhabi - we represent the second largest European foreign community in the UAE. A long way behind, of course, the British, who number more than 150,000.
How have the Emiratis reacted to France's reticence about the Louvre Abu Dhabi project?
J.-P. G. - They were surprised, but not offended. They are pragmatic people and, faced with this reticence, they quickly turned to other institutions such as the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg. Fortunately, relations between France and Abu Dhabi are so long-standing and solid that this reticence did not lead to a crisis between the two countries.
How do you view the Emirate's change in economic strategy?
J.-P. G. - I've been here for 25 years and I can see that Abu Dhabi is beginning the revolution that took place in Dubai ten years ago. The Saadiyat Island project and the opening of major new hotels are the most visible signs. But there are other aspects to the revolution: major real estate projects, such as the new cities of Al-Raha and Khalifa City, as well as major industrial projects, for example in steel processing and aluminium refining. Specialised investment zones are being created, which are not exactly free zones like those that exist in Dubai, apart from Energy Capital, which aims to bring together companies linked to the oil and energy sectors. In three years' time, specialists predict that the Emirate will have completely changed its face.
