A two-day Conference of Ambassadors, Consuls General, Consuls and Defence Attaches of the Republic of Croatia took place in Zagreb on Thursday and Friday, August 24 and 25, 2023.
The conference was opened by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, with an introductory speech on current foreign policy topics and Croatian foreign policy priorities, following which the Minister of Foreign and European Affairs, Gordan Grlić Radman, addressed the audience.
The Speaker of the Croatian Parliament, Gordan Jandroković, gave an introductory speech to the panel discussion on "Parliamentary diplomacy in the service of promoting the foreign policy priorities of the Republic of Croatia", which was also attended by members of the Croatian Parliament. This was followed by a presentation by special guest Alexander Schallenberg, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs of the Republic of Austria.
In the second part of the conference, further panel discussions followed, in which leaders of other ministries focusing on international political issues and goals of the Republic of Croatia on the international level also took part. The panels also included key economic processes and challenges of economic diplomacy, exploring ways in which the Republic of Croatia can achieve competitive advantages on the international market. Special attention was paid to cooperation with Croats outside the Republic of Croatia. The panels emphasized the importance of connecting with the Croatian diaspora and developing strategies that support their interaction with the homeland.
A panel discussion on "Three development priorities for the future of Croatia - digital transformation, demographic revitalization, decarbonization (3D)" was held with an introductory presentation by Zvonimir Frka-Petešić, Head of the Office of the Prime Minister, on "Climate, energy, digital and demographic challenges of today".
Presentations were given, among others, by the Minister of the Interior Davor Božinović, the Minister of Culture and Media Nina Obuljen Koržinek and the Minister of Defense Mario Banožić.
In the panel discussion on "National security of the Republic of Croatia in the context of the current political and security situation in Southeast Europe", the introductory presentation was given by the director of the Security and Intelligence Agency, Daniel Markić.
During the second day of the Conference, panels on public and cultural diplomacy took place, and the State Secretary of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, Zvonko Milas, and the President of the Committee for Croats Abroad in the Croatian Parliament, Zdravka Bušić, spoke about the involvement of the Croatian diaspora in the economic life of Croatia and the creation conditions for their return and investment.
The conference was concluded with a speech by the special guest, Josip Brkić, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, who gave a presentation on "Bosnia and Herzegovina on the way from candidate status to the opening of accession negotiations with the EU".
The regular annual gathering of representatives of Croatian diplomacy marked a significant moment for the analysis and discussion of key aspects of Croatian foreign policy. This meeting enabled a comprehensive exchange of views on the current challenges facing us.
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