Louisiana Governor to Lead Group of Business and State Leaders on International Trip to Further Develop Water Management and Economic Partnerships

Baton Rouge, Louisiana — According to the Louisiana Office of the Governor, Governor John Bel Edwards will lead a group of corporate and state leaders to the Netherlands and France on Friday on an economic development, water management, and resiliency mission. Louisiana Economic Development, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, The Water Institute of the Gulf, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s Gulf Research Program, the Port of New Orleans, New Orleans & Company, Shell, and the Baton Rouge Area Foundation are among the delegation’s members. They will investigate flood control difficulties confronting France and the Netherlands, as well as solutions established in other countries that could be applied to risk reduction measures in our state, while also sharing Louisiana’s expertise and experiences.

The trip is the result of an invitation from the Kingdom of the Netherlands Special Envoy for International Water Affairs, Ambassador Henk Ovink, who will travel between Amsterdam and Delft with Governor Edwards and the delegation to discuss the country’s latest advances in flood control and water management. Ovink, one of the world’s foremost water policymakers, will meet with Louisiana’s team to discuss how the state might use resiliency projects to spur business investment in a developing water management sector anchored by the Baton Rouge Water Campus.

Louisiana Governor Edwards will witness firsthand one of the Netherlands’ most ambitious and innovative flood management infrastructure initiatives, the Noordwaard polder project of the Room for the River Programme. The delegation will also tour the water research campus in Delft, which is home to Deltares, an international applied research group that works on flood risk reduction initiatives with the Water Institute of the Gulf. They will receive a close-up look at the Deltares Delta Flume project, which is the world’s most advanced wave testing facility.

Governor Edwards will also pay honor to Louisiana’s military veterans while visiting Normandy in northern France, where he will raise awareness about a $400 million capital effort for the National World War II Museum. That capital drive culminated in the recent dedication of the Bollinger Canopy of Peace, the opening of the post-war-oriented Liberation Pavilion later this year, and the brick-and-mortar museum campus expansion anticipated for completion in spring 2023. The National WWII Museum in New Orleans is a significant economic generator for the state, with yearly income of more than $70 million in 2021 and support for more than 400 direct and indirect jobs.

The delegation will depart on August 5 and return on August 14.

“I am very grateful to the Netherlands Special Envoy for International Water Affairs Henk Ovink for inviting me and our delegation to his country to continue our work together on water management,” said Louisiana Governor Edwards. “This is a tremendous opportunity to learn from international leaders in flooding prevention, and to grow our economy while we’re at it. I also look forward to furthering Louisiana’s cultural and economic ties to France. It will be a privilege to visit Normandy to honor those who fought in World War II and raise international awareness of the world-class WWII Museum in New Orleans.”

Governor Edwards will use the trip to advocate Louisiana’s broader economic interests in discussions with major international corporations. Shell executives will meet with the governor and state and municipal economic development authorities to discuss the energy industry’s transition and potential future investments in the state. Terminal Investments Limited, one of the world’s leading container terminal developers, will engage the delegation in a discussion on supply chain challenges as the Port of New Orleans works to grow Louisiana’s infrastructure.

The Governor of Louisiana will also strive to expedite the establishment of a technical advisor position with the French government. The French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs has given preliminary approval to this position, which will be stationed in Louisiana. The adviser will be dedicated to finding and developing new partnerships on topics relevant to the economic implications of the energy transition, climate change, and related environmental issues, which is a first for this type of job.

This is Governor Edwards’ second international trip in his second term and his fifth trip as Louisiana Governor. His most recent international travel was to Scotland for the International Climate Change Summit in October 2021.