Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will travel to Belgium, England and Ireland July 19-24 as part of an overseas trade mission focused on economic development and attracting new investment to the state.
According to the governor’s office, the trip will include attendance at the Farnborough International Airshow in England, along with meetings and panel discussions involving business leaders, government officials and prospective investors in Belgium and Ireland.
State officials said the mission is designed to promote Arkansas’ aerospace and defense industry, the state’s leading export sector by revenue. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission reports the industry includes more than 150 manufacturing facilities and operations across the state.
The governor’s itinerary includes appearances at events hosted by the Aerospace Industries Association, the Irish-American Chamber and the Belgian-American Chamber. Sanders is also scheduled to meet with representatives from Lockheed Martin, RTX, Radius Aerospace, General Dynamics, Hanwha, Kingspan and other prospective investors.
The trade mission also includes meetings with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Andrew Puzder, U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens, U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Edward Walsh and U.S. Ambassador to Belgium Bill White.
Officials said previous overseas trade missions to the Paris Air Show and Farnborough International Airshow helped secure several major investments in Arkansas, including Dassault Falcon Jet’s $100 million expansion in Little Rock that created 800 jobs, RTX’s manufacturing facility in East Camden that grew from an initial $33 million investment to $63 million, and Taber Extrusions’ $60 million expansion in Russellville that added 70 jobs.
Sanders will be accompanied by First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Chief of Staff Gretchen Conger, Deputy Chief of Staff Judd Deere and an Arkansas Economic Development Commission delegation led by Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald and AEDC Executive Director Clint O’Neal.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office said the cost of the trip has not been finalized. Expenses will be covered by the AEDC Foundation, the Arkansas Department of Commerce and the governor’s office, consistent with previous Arkansas trade missions.
