Milei opens Argentina Week at the OECD and will meet Macron at the Élysée

Argentine President Javier Milei inaugurated Argentina Week in Paris on Wednesday, a week-long event aimed at drawing European investment. The primary focus was held on Thursday at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development headquarters, followed by a private dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace on Thursday evening.

The agenda started with a welcome reception at the embassy on Wednesday. Milei delivered a keynote speech on Thursday, discussing Argentina's economic growth and investment prospects, culminating in a panel discussion on the nation's economic transformation led by Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili.

The delegation then met with provincial leaders and business executives. On Friday, discussions centered on energy, critical minerals, technology, artificial intelligence, international trade, and fisheries. Milei received an award from the Paris Economic Forum on Friday. Twelve Argentine governors, along with Buenos Aires City Head of Government Jorge Macri, participated in the delegation.

Presidential General Secretary Karina Milei, Cabinet Chief Diego Santilli, Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, and several other key ministers were also present. Notable attendees included CEO Patrick Pouyanné of TotalEnergies, Claudio Descalzi of ENI, Gary Nagle of Glencore, Héctor Grisi of Santander, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus of Louis Dreyfus Company, Horacio Marín of YPF, and International Energy Agency Executive Director Fatih Birol.

The trip aimed to showcase Argentina's potential in areas such as Vaca Muerta, liquefied natural gas, lithium, and mining. Earlier, Milei had expressed optimism about attracting French investors and emphasized the sanctity of property rights and contracts in Argentina. He also made critical remarks about Europe's economic situation.

The visit arrives amid deteriorating financial indicators, with country risk spiking above 640 points, the highest level of the year, and amidst controversy surrounding official statistics on activity and poverty.