Gov. Greg Abbott culminated his office’s economic development mission to Europe with the signing of an economic development Statement of Intent with Olivier Becht, France’s Minister for Foreign Trade, Economic Attractiveness and Foreign Nationals Abroad in Paris on July 14, which was the Bastille Day holiday in the country, according to a press release.
The release said the stop rounds out the mission’s visit across three countries, with the other two being Germany and the United Kingdom.
“Collaborating with our economic partners around the globe will ensure the Texas economy continues to flourish,” Abbott said. “Forging strong economic bonds with reliable partners is more important now than ever. Texas is proud to have that strong partnership with France,” the governor said, per his office.
According to the press release, Abbott, who also extended an invitation to the minister to visit the Lone Star State, was accompanied by First Lady Cecilia Abbott and Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson.
The Office of the Texas Governor said that the trio was joined by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism Executive Director Adriana Cruz and Texas Economic Development Corporation (TEDC) Board of Directors Vice Chairman Arun Agarwal.
An independently funded and operated non-profit organization, the TEDC sponsored and paid for the trip. The governor’s office said that the Texas delegation attended a total of 20 meetings and events spread across Germany, the UK and France in five days.
Abbott was able to take part in the Bastille Day festivities, which included the annual military parade where he and the first lady in addition to Valérie Baraban and Jeanne Phillips, France’s consuls general in Texas, met French President Emmanuel Macron, who engaged in talk economic partnership talks with the governor, according to the release.
The Abbotts ended the holiday by joining Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a state dinner held at The Louvre Museum.
Sponsored by the delegation accompanying Modi, the dinner saw the couple interact with business and government figures from both countries.
