Nicolas Sarkozy tours Louvre Abu Dhabi

Mohammed Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority welcomes Nicolas Sarkozy, former French president for a tour of the Louvre Abu Dhabi's construction site on Wednesday. Courtesy TDIC

ABU DHABI // The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy visited the Louvre Abu Dhabi construction site on Wednesday morning.
Sarkozy has had close ties with the Louvre project since the French and Abu Dhabi governments signed an agreement in 2007.
He toured the construction site and was shown the final stages of the project, along with Mohammed Al Mubarak, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority.
The museum, when it officially opens, will have 12 galleries for its permanent collection and loaned artwork from 13 leading French institutions.
Galleries are designed to look like an Arabic 'madinat' (city).
It will also include a children's museum, an auditorium, a cafe, restaurant, museum shop, research centre and outdoor attractions with promenades and gardens.
Mr Sarkozy, who was the president of France from 2007 to 2012, is due to give a talk discussing "the world today" at the Emirates Center for Strategic Studies and Research on Wednesday at 7pm.
He will present his view on the challenges facing the world in the current century and will provide analysis of world affairs and upcoming challenges facing the region.
It is Mr Sarkozy's second visit to the emirate.
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