Albares highlights importance of economic diplomacy and public diplomacy as essential tools for building bridges

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, José Manuel Albares, opened the events on Tuesday 19 May to mark the 20th anniversary of the agreement with the Exporters Club, under which the "Meetings with Ambassadors" programme is held. To this end, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has hosted this programme at its headquarters; it is also carried out in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and promotes presentations and exchanges with businesspeople, companies, sectoral associations and economic stakeholders, with the participation of Spain's ambassadors abroad.

During the meeting, a report was presented on "The role of economic diplomacy in the current climate. Functions, challenges and recommendations", an initiative promoted by the Exporters Club and subsidised by the State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, which seeks to analyse the growing role of economic diplomacy in an international context marked by uncertainty, geopolitical fragmentation and increased competition between States. It also emphasised the importance of diplomatic missions as key infrastructure for channelling information, forging contacts and providing institutional support to businesses, acting as a bridge between the political and economic spheres.

The minister emphasised that "in an increasingly interdependent yet, at the same time, more fragmented world, economic diplomacy and public diplomacy are essential tools for building bridges between the political and economic spheres, between the public and private sectors, and between Spain and its partners abroad".

Furthermore, "in a more complex, competitive and uncertain world, the best response Spain can offer is a coherent, ambitious and shared foreign policy. A foreign policy that combines the strength of diplomacy with the capabilities of our businesses and the involvement of our society", he explained.

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