Minister Grabar-Kitarović held lecture entitled “Basic Guidelines and Main Strategic Goals of Croatia’s Foreign Policy”

In the opening part of the lecture, Minister Grabar-Kitarović reviewed the role of economic relations in modern-day international relations, pointing out the ever more obvious role of economic diplomacy as a segment of the overall diplomatic activities.

Minister Grabar-Kitarović said that increased export, promotion of direct investment in Croatia, unemployment reduction, development of entrepreneurship, new technologies and competitiveness, as well as the dynamic process of Croatia’s integration into international economic processes, are some of the basic goals of the Croatian Government’s program, in the implementation of which the MFAEI plays an important role. Minister Grabar-Kitarović then reported in short about the tasks and activities of the MFAEI Directorate for International Economic Co-operation, as well as the role of economic counsellors in diplomatic and consular representation offices. Apart from providing relevant information and assistance in establishing contacts, economic counsellors also offer logistical support to the Croatian companies wishing to establish economic co-operation with private of governmental sectors aboard.

At the end of the presentation, Minister Grabar-Kitarović also noted the MFAEI website project entitled “Croatian Economic Diplomacy”, set up with the aim of a higher availability of and easier access to information about foreign markets for the Croatian exporters, as well as those wishing to expand their economic activities at home or abroad.

The Specialist Economic Diplomacy Study was established in 2004 as a direct response to the perceived need for a better presentation and promotion of the Croatian economy in our diplomatic and consular offices, and its aim is to train young experts for the position of economic counsellors. The Study ends on 30 March 2007 and is attended, along with the Croatian attendees, by diplomats from Albania, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iraq, and China, on an invitation by the MFAEI. For the Iraqi and Afghan attendees, attending the Study is a part of the development assistance through which the Croatian Government wishes to contribute to the reconstruction, development and stability of the two countries.