An American in Bordeaux

The American Consul in Bordeaux, a city with international accents. A city open to the world: Bordeaux embodies it perfectly. At the time of dan Hall’s departure as Consul of the United States in Bordeaux. An opportunity to highlight the impact of consular activity on the neo-Aquitaine territory. Dan Hall flies to his next destination, which is none other than the State Department in Washington. His work in the American Consulate thus testifies to the strong cultural and economic ties that bind France and the United States. The dynamic presence of the American Consulate in Bordeaux finally shows that the region is a relevant step in thinking about the diplomacy of the territories.

Today Alexander Lipscomb is the Consul at the head of the American Consulate in Bordeaux. He is the diplomatic agent in charge of protecting his compatriots and the interests of his country within the city. His career began in 2004 as a generalist. Initially a general services officer in Gabon at the U.S. Embassy in Libreville, he made numerous trips abroad. From 2009 to 2014, he held a position in Washington DC at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He will also spend a year in the White House. Finally, from 2012 to 2014, he worked at the Office of Building Management Abroad (OBO).

The Consul holds the Superior Honor Award and the Meritorious Honor Award from the Department of State. In 2018 he is on the verge of winning the Department’s Leamon Hunt Award for Management Excellence. To carry out his duties he speaks French, Spanish and has notions of Russian. A diplomatic career of excellence for a man who before 2004, taught French in a high school in addition to work on the family dairy farm.

The crucial role of consulates

The current period is punctuated by political tensions. They are due in particular to the trade war between the United States and China. More recently, with France’s desire to impose a GAFA tax, consulates are marking their actions. They embody a way to promote sometimes difficult exchanges between two countries. If, unlike embassies, consulates have above all an administrative function. They protect the nationals of the country in question. The American consulate in Bordeaux also operates in the economic field. In particular, it helps American companies to set up in the Bordeaux metropolis.

Indeed, the mission of the Consulate of the United States in Bordeaux is to explain on the territory the politics, the functioning of The American society as well as its culture. At the same time, the consulate aims to promote the entry of American companies into the French market. To do this, it relays information on American companies and their solutions. The objective is to establish links and promote exchanges between American and French companies. American companies in Nouvelle-Aquitaine are positioned in certain key sectors. Among them, there are in particular aeronautics and defense, electronic components, the agri-food industry, wine and tourism.

Maintaining consular activity is not insignificant, especially from an economic point of view. For example, some countries are choosing to reduce consular activities in order to implement fiscal austerity. This is particularly the case in Senegal. Indeed, the latter announced at the beginning of July its ambition to put an end to the four consulates general. They were in Paris, Bordeaux, Lyon and Marseille.

A rapprochement between the countries

The consultates are also relayed by regional branches and organizations that participate in the rapprochement of two countries. This is particularly the case with the United States and the Bordeaux USA association, which is celebrating its fiftieth anniversary this year. Consulates thus participate in animate a network of bilateral understandings and ties of interest. Twinning is active in this regard. The twinning between the city of Bordeaux and that of Los Angeles dates back to 1964.

The twinning between Bordeaux and Los Angeles was signed in 1964, the year that marked the birth of the Bordeaux-USA association. This formalization of partnership also concerns university exchanges. In total, more than 3,000 young Americans were able to discover Bordeaux and its region. At the same time, a little more than 1500 Bordeaux students were able to stay in California. The University of California at Davis is thus linked to the University of Bordeaux-Montaigne through partnerships. These partnerships offer unique opportunities for students who want to study in the United States. They facilitate relations and administrative procedures for the latter. The Consul has representation missions to middle and high schools in order to make children aware of American culture. In a context of globalization and an Americanized culture, young people can have access to the world through school.

In performing public and commercial functions, the consulate must therefore also meet certain requirements. Through its missions it must meet a requirement of economic diplomacy. Laurent Fabius, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, evokes this term for the first time in 2013. It refers to the use of the tools of a country’s diplomatic network. For example, consulates to develop the economic opportunities of a territory. Economic diplomacy must be able to benefit from a local and total diplomatic anchorage.

American Consulate Bordeaux
The consulate relays regional antennas and organizations to participate in the rapprochement of two countries

A total American anchorage, on the local level

The strong link between Bordeaux and the United States is first and foremost historic. Indeed, Bordeaux was chosen as the first French diplomatic post by the Americans in 1778. The strong presence of Bordeaux merchants induces this choice. Bordeaux thus began a major American consular network on the national territory at the time of the War of Independence thanks to its economic attractiveness. Indeed, Bordeaux was at the time asserting itself as one of the main French ports. At this time, the port trades with the United States. Another French port that competes is that of Le Havre in Normandy.

Currently, this economic anchoring continues since the United States is the first customer of the Nouvelle-Aquitaine Region. The United States calls on the region in particular in the fields of construction, aeronautics and agri-food. Thus, Bordeaux is marked by an important consular presence. Indeed it is home to 41 nationalities among the companies with foreign capital present on its territory according to the ADI. The United States is the second country to invest in New Aquitaine at 13% after Germany in 2018.

However, although the American Consulate was inaugurated in 2000 in Bordeaux, initiatives are still in the making. Thus, the Vinexpo exhibition was created in 1981. However, it was only the first year that New York wines were presented. The city of Bordeaux must therefore increase its availability. The objective is to make its diplomatic network an economic and cultural engine for the Region.

Protection, law, information… the role of consulates is much more diverse than the spectrum of purely administrative functions. In the U.S. case, the Consulate thus monitors the dynamics of American companies and investors in the Territory of New Aquitaine. There is no doubt that President Trump’s presence at the G7 from 24 to 26 August 2019 in Biarritz should be an opportunity for the US Consulate to once again strengthen the Franco-American friendship.

Justine ANGIBAUD

Sources:

Bordeaux Business, “Daniel Hall, Consul of the United States for New Aquitaine”

Official website of U.S. embassies

Official website of the Bordeaux City Council

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