The Agence française pour le développement d'AlUla (AFALULA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Aurélien Lechevallier as interim president of the agency. Currently Director General of Globalization, Culture, Education and International Development, he will take up his new position on July 6, 2023, until the official appointment of AFALULA's President.
This appointment is an important step in the continued development of AlUla as a global cultural and tourist destination.
Mr. Aurélien Lechevallier expresses his gratitude to Mr. Gérard Mestrallet for his remarkable efforts over the past five years within AFALULA and alongside his partners in the Royal Commission for AlUla. Under Mr. Mestrallet's leadership, significant progress has been made in strengthening bilateral relations between France and Saudi Arabia, and in laying the foundations for the transformation of AlUla into a world-renowned cultural and tourist destination.
With the appointment of Mr. Aurélien Lechevallier as interim president of AFALULA, the agency looks forward to continuing its collaborative efforts with the Royal Commission for AlUla to drive the sustainable growth and transformation of AlUla into a world-renowned cultural and tourism destination. By capitalizing on French expertise and fostering partnerships, AFALULA aims to showcase AlUla's heritage and contribute to its long-term economic and cultural prosperity.
Established in July 2018 in Paris, AFALULA is the result of an intergovernmental agreement between France and Saudi Arabia signed in April 2018. The agency's primary objective is to collaborate with its Saudi partner, the Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU), on the sustainable economic, tourism and cultural development of AlUla. Located in north-west Saudi Arabia, AlUla is known for its exceptional natural and cultural heritage. AFALULA aims to leverage French expertise in a variety of fields, including archaeology, museography, architecture, urban planning, tourism, hotels, infrastructure, education, security, agriculture, botany and sustainable resource management. In a spirit of co-construction, AFALULA strives to mobilize the best operators and companies to contribute to the development of AlUla's potential.
