Mayor Johnson opens Trade Office of France in the Dallas International District
France is the first as talks continue with other nations.
DALLAS — Mayor Eric Johnson announced Monday that the Trade Office of France has officially opened in the city’s International District in North Dallas.
The Trade Office of France, a partnership between the City of Dallas and the French-American Chamber of Commerce, hosted its first meetings Monday. The office will serve as an anchor tenant for the International District, which was designated by the City Council earlier this year.
The mayor previously teased the Trade Office announcement during his annual State of the City Address last month.
Mayor Johnson developed the vision for hosting new foreign trade offices in Dallas as part of his international strategy and previously named the opening of these international outposts as a top priority for his administration. The mayor’s intent is for the trade offices to serve as an integral part of the city’s efforts to improve foreign relations and increase trade, cultural exchanges, and foreign direct-investment.
Negotiations to open more foreign trade offices are ongoing.
“This is a historic step for our city that will help us build new relationships and strengthen long-standing ties with an important ally and trading partner,” Mayor Johnson said. “This new Trade Office is a major win for our city, and it showcases Dallas as an economic powerhouse to France and to the rest of the world.
“Dallas is the place to be right now, and now is the right time to expand these relationships and continue to increase our city’s stature on the world stage.”
Dallas is primed for international growth in the years ahead. The City of Dallas is the economic and cultural engine of the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the country. Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport was ranked as the second-busiest airport in the world in 2021. Dallas has been designated as a host city for the FIFA World Cup in 2026. And the city and the region continue to grow, and if projections hold, the Dallas region eventually will become the third-largest in the United States, behind only New York and Los Angeles.
Trade between France and the Dallas region totaled $1.75 billion in 2021, according to the Dallas Regional Chamber. American Airlines and Air France offer direct flights from DFW Airport to Paris. However, the nearest French consulate is in Houston, where many nations established their international presence in Texas decades ago.
Negotiations with the French-American Chamber of Commerce picked up amid the pandemic recovery. The parties agreed on space in the Prism Center, an office building owned by the City of Dallas’ Park and Recreation Department. The City is providing the space and the furnishings for the office in exchange for commitments for international activities from the French-American Chamber of Commerce.
Valérie Baraban, Consul General of France, said the office will help enhance the strong ties between Dallas and France.
“The French community in Dallas is a growing and diverse community with a large pool of talents in aeronautics and aerospace, artificial intelligence, healthcare, the arts and education, among many others,” Baraban said. “What is great about diversity is the creative energy that it brings to an ecosystem. We are thrilled to strengthen the Dallas-France relationship with the opening of the Trade Office.”
Former Ambassador Jeanne Phillips, who chairs the Mayor’s International Advisory Council, helped facilitate the discussions with the French representatives. Phillips’ foreign post was in Paris as the United States Permanent Representative to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
“Mayor Johnson’s vision for trade offices in Dallas is the right one,” Phillips said. “We have become the center of commerce in the central United States. And having an in-person location in the city will not only strengthen our relations with France, but it will grow our international business ties in this important market. This mutually beneficial relationship will also provide France with increased access to a diverse and vital market in Dallas and across the United States.”
The Trade Office is based in City Council District 11, represented by Jaynie Schultz, who led the charge to designate the North Dallas neighborhood as the International District.
“We are thrilled to partner with the French business community to launch this trade office, the first of many to build the Dallas ecosystem for trade and cultural exchange,” said Councilmember Schultz. “The Prism Center in the International District is an asset for the entire City and the North Texas region.”
