A meeting was held recently between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Trinidad Jiménez, and the presidents of the Council Foundations that Spain has established with Australia, China, the United States, India, Japan, Mexico and Russia for the purpose of coordinating the work of Spain's Councils and to promote Spain's economic diplomacy.
In attendance, among others, were Antonio Escámez, President of the Spain-India Council Foundation, Josep Piqué, President of the Spain-Japan Council Foundation, Antonio Garrigues, President of the Spain-Australia Council Foundation, Álvaro Gil Robles, President of the Spain-Russia Council Foundation, José Pedro Pérez Llorca, President of the Spain-Mexico Council Foundation, Juan Rodríguez Inciarte and Emilio Lamo de Espinosa, President and Vice-President of the Spain-USA Council Foundation, Juan Lladó, President of the Spain-China Council Foundation, and Pedro Solbes, President of the Spanish chapter of the Spain-China Forum.
Taking on special prominence in the discussions was the role of Spain's civil society in promoting international relations with other countries, particularly in terms of economic diplomacy. Minister Jiménez evidenced her department's firm desire to improve economic diplomacy with the aim of increasing exports and favoring Spanish investment in sectors where Spain is a market leader, such as infrastructure, transport, telecommunications, civil engineering, fashion, sport and cultural industry, among other sectors that are key to economic growth and job creation.
There are currently seven Council-Foundations supported and coordinated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation. The oldest of these is the Spain-United States Council Foundation and the most recent is the Spain-Australia Council Foundation, created in July 2010. New Council Foundations may soon be created with other countries that are key to Spain's economic and cultural relations, such as Morocco and Brazil, with the intention of drawing civil societies together to reach a better mutual understanding.
