France has had a long‎-standing and historically significant relationship with the Arab world‎;‎ one that is bolstered by the growing volume of bilateral trade in oil and gas between France and the GCC states‎.‎ However‎,‎ a more stable partnership has been established through investment and security‎.‎ French security commitments manifest themselves in three ways‎:‎ through support in the fight against terrorism‎,‎ contributions to the defense capacities of the GCC countries and a willingness to participate in a collective system to safeguard Gulf security‎.‎ Defense cooperation is strongest with the UAE‎,‎ boosted to a great extent by the Offset Program‎.‎ This has opened up new avenues for cooperation in other economic and strategic fields‎.‎ Although bilateral defense cooperation reached its apogee in the 1990s and now faces serious competition from the USA‎,‎ major French industries in sectors such as water‎,‎ electricity‎,‎ transportation and communications‎,‎ as well as health and education have been able to export their expertise and participate in the training of local com‎.‎‎.‎‎.‎