Arkansas governor announces trade mission to Belgium, Ireland, UK

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders will travel to Belgium, England and Ireland next week for an overseas trade mission, officials announced Monday. 

Sanders’ trip is scheduled from July 19-24 and includes a stop at the Farnborough International Airshow in England and meetings with business and government leaders in Belgium and Ireland, according to a press release. 

The governor will be joined by First Gentleman Bryan Sanders, Chief of Staff Gretchen Conger, Deputy Chief of Staff Judd Deere, and a team from the Arkansas Economic Development Commission led by Commerce Secretary Hugh McDonald and AEDC Director Clint O’Neal, spokesperson Sam Dubke said.

Dubke did not provide an estimated cost of the trip, but said the AEDC Foundation, Department of Commerce and the governor’s office will cover costs as they have for past governors’ trade mission trips for economic development.

Since taking office, Sanders said she’s represented Arkansas at the Farnborough Air Show and the Paris Air Show, and secured investments from aerospace and defense leaders.

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“International trade missions offer our team the chance to pitch Arkansas in-person to some of the largest companies in the world, many of which focus on Arkansas’ largest export industry – aerospace and defense – and I look forward to telling our great story this year and continuing to attract jobs and investment to the Natural State,” she said.

Sanders’ schedule includes meetings with potential investors such as Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics. She also is also appearing at panel discussions and meeting with several ambassadors, including U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom Warren Stephens. 

Sanders’ previous trips to these airshows have helped secure Dassault Falcon Jet’s $100 million, 800-job expansion in Little Rock, RTX’s new, $33 million manufacturing facility in East Camden, which was later expanded to a $63 million investment, and Taber Extrusions’ $60 million, 70-job expansion in Russellville, according to the release. 

Aerospace and defense is Arkansas’ leading export by revenue, according to the state Economic Development Commission, with more than 150 industrial facilities and operations in the state.