Press release by the Directorate of Defense/Ministry of Finance/ Ministry of Economy
On September 23, 2020, the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, François Bausch, the Minister of Finance, Pierre Gramegna, and the Minister of Economy, Franz Fayot, welcomed a delegation of American ambassadors to European countries, at the Bourglinster Castle. The encounter permitted an exchange of views on the relations between Luxembourg and the U.S., among others in the fields of defense, financial services, trade and space. The delegation visited the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg on September 22 and 23, 2020 for working meetings with representatives of Luxembourg ministries and European institutions.
The Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Defense, François Bausch, stressed: « I think that defense faces today an increasing range of threats: not only traditional military threats, but also terrorism, to a certain extent – which explains why my country deploys troops to Mali in Africa - cybersecurity, environmental threats, like the climate change. These will shape defense over the next decades and, of course, pandemics, as we just have seen. »
The Minister of Finance, Pierre Gramegna, commented: «Luxembourg and the United States are long term partners, who have been cooperating for several decades to strengthen prosperity through exchange and trade. Our two countries maintain important relations in the financial services sector. Since the 1960ies, the presence of American financial institutions played a major role in the internationalization of Luxembourg as a Financial Center. Luxembourg is today a trusted partner of the United States, in particular for banks, insurances providers, asset managers and American FinTech companies which want to serve the EU market. Ambassador Evans and the American ambassadors of the whole Europe had excellent discussions on how to reinforce our relations further. »
The Minister of Economy, Franz Fayot, declared: « Luxembourg gives high priority to its economic, political, academic and cultural relations with the United States. Our two countries share a common history, as well as a common present and future. The frightening experience of the Battle of the Bulge, the numerous U.S. citizens of Luxembourgish descent, the economic partnership through U.S. companies established in the Grand Duchy, the common values and the fruitful cooperation between our two countries in the space sector all form a solid foundation for our friendship and allow us to foresee a promising future.»
The American Ambassador to Luxembourg, J. Randolph Evans, added: « Ministers Bausch, Gramegna and Fayot are important partners in the promotion of relations between Luxembourg and the U.S. Minister Gramegna contributed to strengthen our financial ties, thanks to recent initiatives like the ratification of the protocol of the fiscal convention. Minister Fayot actively developed our relations in the space sector, among other fields of promising economic growth. Vice Prime Minister Bausch is also an important partner. I am notably thinking of the launch of a working group on defense in space, his trips to meet with his counterparts in Washington D.C., the extension of Luxembourg’s support to the storage facility of the U.S. Air Force, in Sanem, and the establishment of a new public bus service to the military cemetery of Luxembourg. It is an honor to be welcomed by these great friends and partners, and to be joined by numerous other leaders of the American and Luxembourgish governments. »
