It is in Biarritz, the city that will host the G7 Summit from 24 to 26 August, that Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian launched the French G7 Presidency on 18 December 2018, on behalf of the President of the Republic. 

The Minister presented the priorities that France will champion throughout the year to ambassadors accredited in France, regional officials and civil society representatives.

Another purpose of his visit was to showcase the region. Through meetings with local businesses and events to discover regional culture, the ambassadors in France were able to see for themselves the many wonderful things Biarritz, the Basque country, the Pyrénées-Atlantiques Department and the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region have to offer.

Jean-Yves Le Drian and Minister for European Affairs Nathalie Loiseau also met with the elected officials and local economic players to bring them on board so that this international event will have a positive impact. They discussed ways to showcase the region over the course of the year, how to manage the challenges involved with the organization of the summit and the ways to generate positive economic knock-on effects, specifically tourist, for the entire region. 

To read the full text of Mr. Le Drian's speech, click here.