Lehendakari addresses Consular Corps, emphasizing key role of the Basque Country in the European Union

• Imanol Pradales receives the Consular Corps accredited in the Basque Country in the Elkargune
• "More democracy, more Euskadi and more Europe. This is the trifecta upon which we want to make the Global Basque Country a reality", he insisted
• The Lehendakari shows his concern for the crisis of governability in the French State and the effect on strategic projects like High Speed Rail

The President of the Basque Country, Lehendakari Imanol Pradales, received representatives of the Consular Corps accredited in the Basque Country this afternoon, in a ceremony in the Elkargune of the Ajuria Enea Palace and which was attended by Basque Government ministers, as well as the Secretary General for External Action and Global Euskadi, Ander Caballero.

During his speech, Pradales stressed the key role of the Basque Country in the European Union before the Consular Corps. “Countries and territories such as ours are key to taking advantage of the potential of specialisation and reindustrialisation, to allocate resources more efficiently, and to consolidate the European project on a local level with citizens", said the Lehendakari, highlighting the Atlantic Macroregion project.

He also highlighted the role of diplomacy and cooperation and thanked staff for their support and contribution over the years. “The Basque Country is committed to diplomacy and cooperation between nations as the basis for global development, peace and prosperity," he acknowledged, while stressing the commitment of the Consular Corps to strengthening "dialogue between countries and in commercial, cultural, scientific and technological exchange.” “Your voices and contributions are essential for the Basque Country to become increasingly international and connected to global opportunities,” he stressed.

In the face of an increasingly uncertain and unstable world order, marked by the rise of autocratic leaders and extremist and populist movements, and the challenges of migration, climate change and war, Pradales assured that “to continue to grow as a country, we have to continue to grow in the international context, overcoming difficulties and taking advantage of all the opportunities that come our way.” “More democracy, more Euskadi and more Europe. This is the trifecta upon which we want to make the Global Basque Country a reality", he insisted.

So a time, “when we need a more united and stronger Europe, we are seeing the opposite. Far from showing stability, Europe is showing itself to be increasingly unstable,” the Lehendakari lamented.

On this topic, Pradales has not hesitated to express his concern following the fall of the French government. “The deep crisis of governability facing the French state adds more volatility to the political situation of the continent and the European economy, and may have a direct impact on our economy, or on projects and on the Basque agenda such as  the High-Speed Rail connection to the continent", he acknowledged.

This is why President Pradales is committed to "multilateralism, the need to strengthen transatlantic alliances to the north and to the south, exploring common historical interests and new opportunities that a world undergoing realignment opens up for us" and has shown himself to be convinced of the need to weave "new alliances in regions where we have don’t have a significant presence, like Africa, Asia and the Middle East, where there are opportunities for the future".

THE INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION OF THE BASQUE COUNTRY

Under the premise of continuing to defend the interests of the Basque Country, the Lehendakari shared the main lines of work of the executive to strengthen the Basque Country in its international dimension.

So, in addition to the role of the Basque Country in the European Union, Pradales defended the need to progress with a new model of cooperation for development and sustainable growth in line with the 2030 Agenda. “We look to change the paradigm of development cooperation, focusing on partnerships between public institutions, the private sector, civil society and academia,” he said.

The third and last line of work is related to the role of the Basque diaspora and new legislation providing for "cultural, emotional, digital and political links, and the diversity of migratory trajectories", he finished.