Emmanuel Macron arrived Friday, December 2, in New Orleans, where he concludes his state visit to the United States. The day after a lavish reception at the White House who sealed ” friendship “ of the French president with his American counterpart, the Head of State came to promote the Francophonie in this city of Louisiana, emblematic of Franco-American ties. Once French, “New Orleans” located in the southeastern United States was sold by Napoleon Bonaparte to young America in 1803.
After a welcome to the sound of jazz on the tarmac of the airport, the French president granted himself, with his wife Brigitte Macron, a walkabout in the French Quarter, the very lively historic city center, where rockets ” Welcome Sir “In french in the text.
During an improvised press briefing, Emmanuel Macron hailed “a land of creolization” “where French is loved, is expected”. On the menu, the announcement of a “program for learning the French language, with also positions that we will open to train teachers” which must take the form of the fund “French For All”. The objective is to renovate “the image of French in the United States, which is sometimes perhaps seen as elitist”he regretted in Washington
A “frank discussion” with Elon Musk
In New Orleans, he met Elon Musk with whom he claimed on Twitter to have had a “clear and frank discussion”insisting that the social network, which is now owned by the American billionaire, make ” efforts “ in terms of transparency and “reinforcement of content moderation”.
Transparent user policies, significant reinforcement of content moderation and protection of freedom of speech: eff… https://t.co/C04FwWTHVL
In a series of tweets, the French president also said he spoke with the founder of Tesla about “future green industrial projects, such as the production of electric vehicles and batteries”without further details.
The meeting, which lasted an hour, had not been previously announced by the Elysée, and was kept away from the media. Emmanuel Macron posted a photo of the two men around a table at the New Orleans Museum of Art.
Further interviews are planned with “companies committed to energy and climate issues”, according to the presidency. Foreign Secretary Catherine Colonna and Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards are due to sign an energy transition agreement in the oil and gas state “extremely proactive” in this matter, in the eyes of Paris.
Before leaving Washington on Friday morning, Mr. Macron had taken part in a breakfast with representatives of digital companies – in particular Deezer, Preligens and Naarea – during which he, according to the Elysée, recalled “every effort” granted since his first five-year term to “to make France the leading European tech country”.
“Resilience” after Hurricane Katrina
Accompanied by the film director Claude Lelouch and the dancer and choreographer Benjamin Millepied, Emmanuel Macron will also meet in New Orleans actors of cultural life in this city, the cradle of jazz.
“We have a story in New Orleans and important things to say there that relate to both our story and what we want to do next”, underlined the Elysée. The Head of State will therefore “celebrating a Franco-American heritage”, but also “paying homage to the resilience of a great American city” bereaved by Hurricane Katrina which killed more than 1,800 people and caused billions of dollars in damage in 2005.
The day before, during a visit overflowing with diplomatic affection, Emmanuel Macron and Joe Biden displayed their unity on Ukraine, demonstrating their desire to seek a solution to the war together. They also softened their positions on the economic disputes that had punctuated the preparation of their tete-a-tete in the Oval Office, in particular the government plan Inflation Reduction Act, accused in Europe of favoring American companies in defiance of free competition.
In Louisiana, the French head of state hoped that the question of “exemptions” claimed in the United States for European industries either “settled” by the first half of 2023.