Editing Foreign relations of France (section)

===Foreign aid===
In the second half of the 20th century, France increased its expenditures in foreign aid greatly, to become second only to the United States in total aid amongst the Western powers and first on a per capita basis. By 1968 France was paying out $855&nbsp;million per year in aid far more than either West Germany or the United Kingdom. The vast majority of French aid was directed towards Africa and the Middle East, usually either as a lever to promote French interests or to help with the sale of French products (e.g. arms sales). France also increased its expenditures on other forms of aid sending out skilled individuals to developing countries to provide technical and cultural expertise.<ref>Robert D. McKinlay, "The Aid Relationship A Foreign Policy Model and Interpretation of the Distributions of Official Bilateral Economic Aid of the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, 1960–1970." ''Comparative Political Studies'' (1979) 11#4 pp: 411–464.</ref>

The combination of aid money, arms sales, and diplomatic alignments helped to erase the memory of the [[Suez Crisis]] and the Algerian War in the Arab world and France successfully developed amicable relationships with the governments of many of the Middle Eastern states. Nasser and de Gaulle, who shared many similarities, cooperated on limiting American power in the region.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Furniss |first=Edgar S. |date=1961 |title=De Gaulle's France and NATO: An Interpretation |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2705337 |journal=International Organization |volume=15 |issue=3 |pages=349–365 |doi=10.1017/S0020818300002186 |jstor=2705337 |issn=0020-8183}}</ref> Nasser proclaimed France as the only friend of Egypt in the West. France and Iraq also developed a close relationship with business ties, joint military training exercises, and French assistance in Iraq's nuclear program in the 1970s.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}} France improved relations with its former colony Syria, and eroded cultural links were partially restored.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

In terms of trade France did receive some benefits from the improved relations with the Middle East. French trade with the Middle East increased by over fifty percent after de Gaulle's reforms. The weaponry industries benefited most as France soon had lucrative contracts with many of the regimes in the Middle East and North Africa, though these contracts account for a negligible part of France's economy.{{citation needed|date=February 2023}}

De Gaulle had hoped that by taking a moderate path and not strongly supporting either side France could take part in the Middle East peace process between Israel and the Arab nations. Instead it has been excluded from any major role.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-31 |title=In Pursuit of a Grand Strategy |url=https://www.thecairoreview.com/essays/in-pursuit-of-a-grand-strategy/ |access-date=2024-02-12 |website=The Cairo Review of Global Affairs |language=en-US}}</ref>

[[Nicolas de Rivière]], the [[Permanent Representative of France to the United Nations]], thanked to Mesdames Bahous, Russell and Kanem for their briefings in [[Gaza war]], and to reiterate France's full support for [[UN Women]], [[UNICEF]] and [[UNFPA]] in their engagement to help the people of Gaza. Furthermore, France welcomed the agreement, which led to the release of dozens of hostages and a truce.<ref>{{Cite web |title=France welcomes agreement to free dozens of hostages and establish truce |url=https://onu.delegfrance.org/france-welcomes-agreement-to-free-dozens-of-hostages-and-establish-truce |access-date=2023-11-27 |website=France ONU |language=en}}</ref>