On September 1, Saudi Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs Abdulmajeed Al-Smari received the credentials of Paris’s former envoy to Greece. Then from 2019 to 2023, he was France’s ambassador in Athens.
Maisonnave, who was born in September 1963, is a National School of Administration alumnus. He served in several high-profile diplomatic roles before being assigned to Riyadh, including ambassador to Israel for France from 2013 to 2016 and counterterrorism envoy for the French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs until 2019.
In addition, he will work to advance cultural exchanges and economic cooperation between France and Saudi Arabia, particularly about the significant development of the French-owned Al-Ula archaeological site.
Nadia Al-Sartawi, Maisonnave’s spouse, is a diplomat as well. She worked as a cultural attache at the French Embassy in Athens, where she significantly aided in advancing French language and culture.Al-Sartawi is the daughter of Issam Al-Sartawi, a prominent figure in the Palestinian Liberation Organisation who had discussions with Israel before the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords were signed.
Maisonnave’s new position will allow him to work with Saudi Arabia and France to coordinate efforts in a region that has been negatively impacted by Israel’s war in Gaza, which is set to enter its second year in October.
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