Within the context of the Saudi-French Agreement on Cooperation in the field of nuclear peaceful uses signed on 30/3/1432 corresponding to 22 February 2011, Dr. Hashim Abdullah Yamani, the President of King Abdullah City for Atomic and Renewable Energy has signed a letter of intent between the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic with the French Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development Mr. Laurent Fabius. The letter of intent is centered on mutual cooperation to study the feasibility of constructing two reactors having specific specifications. The signature ceremony came within the framework of the current visit to the French Republic of His Royal Highness the Deputy Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Prince Mohammad ibn Salman. The Agreement will further contribute to the development and strengthening of the mutual relations to the best interest of the sides, both in the economic and technical fields. It is noteworthy that France is among those countries which heavily use the atomic energy to produce electricity. France is one of the most prominent and advanced countries in the technologies of atomic energy. Moreover, France is one of the few countries that possess complete industrial chain of commercial nuclear reactors involved in the production of electrical power.

Dr. Yamani stressed that the Kingdom pays a lot of attention to such matters as realization of socio-economic development as well as safeguarding radioactive safety and nuclear security. His Excellency Dr. Yamani added that the mutual cooperation between the two countries is no doubt an important venue for the support and enhancement of the ambitious program of the Kingdom aiming at the versification of energy resources in the Kingdom through the introduction of an integrated system the atomic energy in which will play such an active and essential role.