Little Rock, Arkansas – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced her forthcoming trade mission to Europe, which includes a stop at the Farnborough Air Show in the United Kingdom beginning July 22, in an effort to support Arkansas’s aerospace industry. Since assuming office, this represents her second European trade mission, therefore highlighting her dedication to improve the state’s worldwide economic profile.
Renowned for drawing top aircraft companies, the Farnborough Air Show is a perfect place for Sanders to highlight Arkansas’s expanding aerospace sector, the biggest in the state. The Arkansas Economic Development Commission estimates that the sector’s airplane part exports in 2023 alone will be over $850 million. Sanders wants to capitalize on this momentum by interacting with notable aerospace companies, particularly those with ties to Arkansas already like RTX, Lockheed Martin, and Albemarle, as well as possible new partners.
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“As we cut taxes, grow our workforce, and invest in education, we’re becoming an even more attractive state for investment,” Sanders said in a statement. “This trip will be crucial to getting that news out to some of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the world.”
Among other economic development officials, the delegation accompanying Sanders consists of First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald, Executive Director Clint O’ Neal of the Economic Development Commission, Chief of Staff Gretchen Conger, and Deputy Chief of Staff Judd Deer. The team shows an unwavering determination to properly reflect Arkansas’ economic interests on the global scene.
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The Arkansas Economic Development Foundation, the Department of Commerce, and the governor’s office provide funding for the trip, therefore highlighting a shared commitment by state agencies to assist this global outreach.
Sanders’ first overseas trip to the Paris Air Show last year set the stage for continuous negotiations and talks that have improved Arkansas’s business environment. This trade mission follows the same path. Given Arkansas’s leading export sector—the aerospace sector—such missions are essential to ensure the state stays on the forefront of world trade and economic progress.
Following laws she signed last year, Governor Sanders’ proactive attitude to foreign involvement fits her government’s stricter control over the revelation of specifics on her travel and security. This policy emphasizes the need of security in government activities and the delicate character of high-level trade missions.
