Frédéric Jung, Consul General of San Francisco. Credit: Jules Caron

Barely a week after taking office as the new Consul General of France in San Francisco, Frédéric Jung takes the pulse of a city that is under the weight of hardship. On the deserted terrace of B44, a Catalan restaurant located close to the consulate, he talks with the owner of the premises about the difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. “I take my marks in a very particular context: the pandemic, and now the fires … San Francisco seems deserted, and I can’t wait to see the streets bubbling with life again, and that we find a certain carefree attitude“, Says Frédéric Jung.

Based in Paris as diplomatic adviser to the Ministry of the Interior since 2017, Frédéric Jung is used to carrying out his duties abroad: in Brussels, as spokesperson for the Permanent Representation of France to the European Union, and before that in New York, as Africa Advisor, then spokesperson for the Permanent Representation of France to the UN. “I have always been in an international universe: I am Alsatian, originally from Mulhouse, and I am Franco-German through my father. I went to college and high school in Friborg. My mother is an English teacher, and my parents have been communicating in this language since they met in the UK ”, he explains with a smile. “Myself, I intend to transmit my dual Franco-German culture to my children, to whom I speak in German.

With his New York experience, Frédéric Jung wanted to spend time in the United States again: “Rather than repeating myself, I chose the west coast. I am very interested in technologies, and the current period, between pandemic and elections, is unprecedented to say the least“. Impatient to create links with the Francophone community of the district, Frédéric Jung has already appreciated the commitment shown by the Consulate team in the face of the challenges posed by the coronavirus. “Since March, the 25 people from the Consulate have been on deck, and I never imagined how COVID has changed their daily lives: they have received more than 11,000 emails, 6,000 phone calls, passport applications have doubled compared to last year … We are trying to meet demand, but the device was clearly not sized for such a volume. I hope to live up to this commitment.

Several projects await the new Consul, at the head of which the management of the health crisis: “This is my top priority. We are in the midst of applications for scholarships, which are due by September 18: $ 2.3 million has already been granted, and we are reopening the applications to allow more families, who suffer from the economic aspects of pandemic, to benefit from this aid.”Relaying state decisions on traffic rules also occupies the team, because many French people registered with the Consulate wonder about the details of these measures which often evolve. “Behind every call, there is a special situation, which sometimes takes time to resolve, depending on the pressing needs of each.”

Tech will also be at the heart of the Consul’s action, with a new economic delegate who will soon take office. “Tech is one of the major attractions of San Francisco and the region, and here we are going to relay the $ 7 billion stimulus plan allocated by the government to digital technology.

Culturally, Frédéric Jung welcomes the action of his predecessor, Emmanuel Lebrun-Damiens, who launched the Villa San Francisco a few days before completing his mandate. “This project is a continuation of Room with a View, the Night of Ideas and Oakland-Saint Denis. We adapt to current constraints, favoring local artists since trips from France are on hold.”Frédéric Jung deplores not being able to open the residence of France to receive his compatriots, but wants to believe in an imminent return to a certain normality:“This city is a promise, and I have only one wish: to inject energy and rekindle the optimism of our community.

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