NEW ORLEANS — The World Trade Center New Orleans, in partnership with Louisiana Economic Development, has launched Louisiana Global Connect, a new initiative aimed at strengthening Louisiana’s global outreach and foreign direct investment (FDI) strategy.
The initiative debuted during the Washington Mardi Gras event where state and regional economic development leaders introduced Louisiana Global Connect to international partners.
The formal launch took place during a private session in the Louisiana NOW Pavilion titled “Louisiana Global Connect: Your U.S. Solution” on Jan. 28. In addition to the pavilion event, World Trade Center New Orleans officials held a series of meetings during Washington Mardi Gras week with representatives of foreign governments and international trade officials to discuss potential foreign direct investment and trade opportunities in Louisiana.
What Louisiana Global Connect Is
According to the World Trade Center New Orleans, Louisiana Global Connect is a strategic partnership with Louisiana Economic Development designed to coordinate international outreach and strengthen the state’s ability to attract foreign direct investment, building on the organization’s role within the World Trade Centers Association network that connects Louisiana businesses and economic development organizations to international opportunities worldwide.
As part of that outreach strategy, the World Trade Center New Orleans works with international representatives based in key global markets, including Australia and Japan, through Louisiana’s overseas offices. Those representatives serve as on-the-ground points of contact to help connect foreign companies and investors with Louisiana economic development partners and project opportunities.
While Louisiana Global Connect is being formally rolled out in its current form this year, the effort builds on earlier collaboration among Louisiana’s trade and economic development organizations. World Trade Center New Orleans officials say the current initiative reflects an evolution of past coordination efforts, updated to support today’s investment landscape and global competition.
Louisiana’s Global Investment Case
Louisiana Global Connect is being positioned as part of the state’s broader pitch to global companies and investors, with Louisiana Economic Development highlighting the state’s ports, multimodal logistics network, and energy and industrial base as core competitive advantages.
Louisiana’s pitch to international investors has long been rooted in its role as a major global gateway for trade and logistics in the southern United States. The state’s port system and intermodal transportation network support significant export activity across agriculture, manufacturing, and process industries, while its energy sector continues to anchor Louisiana’s position in global markets. State and regional economic development leaders have pointed to those longstanding logistical advantages, combined with ongoing infrastructure and industrial investment, as key factors in attracting international trade and investment partnerships.
Those assets extend beyond trade and energy into defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing. The World Trade Center New Orleans said in a statement that Louisiana’s national defense sector represents a multibillion-dollar industry anchored by major military installations such as Barksdale Air Force Base and Fort Johnson, with related activity extending to aerospace and advanced manufacturing facilities including NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility.
Although it is too early to link specific projects directly to Louisiana Global Connect, state officials point to Louisiana’s record investment results, including more than $61 billion in new capital investment in 2025 and major foreign-backed projects like the $5.8 billion Hyundai steel facility, as evidence of momentum behind the state’s broader global investment strategy.
Louisiana has ranked No. 2 nationally for per-capita foreign direct investment since 2008 according to Louisiana Economic Development.
