Friday, September 25, 2020 İzmir Metropolitan Mayor Tunç Soyer hosted newly appointed Ankara Ambassador of France, Herve Magro in his office. Mutual cooperation on smart cities, sustainability, culture and economy were the subjects of the visit.
 
Ankara Ambassador of France, Herve Magro, paid a courtesy visit to İzmir Metropolitan Municipality Mayor, Tunç Soyer. Ambassador Magro expressed that he made his first visit to İzmir after his appointment. Referring to the importance of improving relations between France and İzmir, and cooperation in culture and economy, Magro expressed that joint projects, technical partnerships and information exchange can be realized on many fields and especially smart cities, sustainability and water and energy efficiency. Stating that İzmir Metropolitan Municipality has worked with France Development Agency (AFD) for investments in rail systems, Mayor Tunç Soyer also said that new cooperation was possible for future investments.

Mayor Soyer expressed that relations between cities were more prominent than relations between countries and referred to works done to improve relations of İzmir with Mediterranean cities. Stating that they launched Mediterranean Languages Centre in İzmir and started courses in Spanish, Italian, French and Greek, Soyer said that such steps will take the relation of İzmir with Mediterranean cities to the next level.  Inviting French cities to the Culture Summit in 2021, in İzmir, Soyer offered joint works on being sister cities. Idea of Soyer on cooperation regarding gastronomy was met with interest by the French delegation. Soyer underlined that common projects aimed at promoting Turkish, French and Mediterranean cuisine will increase cultural affinity.

Ambassador was accompanied by İstanbul Consul General of France, Olivier Gauvin, French Embassy Economics Undersecretary Daniel Gallissaires, French Embassy Culture and Education Undersecretary Jean-Jacque Viktor, İzmir French Culture Centre Director Jose-Maria Queiros, French Embassy Press Attaché Alexia Jarrot, French Development Agency (AFD) Vice-Director Emilie Gong Huang and Honorary French Consul of İzmir Zeliha Toprak.