Minister of Foreign Affairs A. Ažubalis encouraged the ambassadors to take the initiative in searching for potential investors from the countries of their representation, and in inviting Lithuanian businesses to look for export opportunities and partners.
On 25 August in Vilnius, during the annual convention of the heads of Lithuania’s diplomatic representations, Minister of Foreign Affairs Audronius Ažubalis encouraged the ambassadors to take the initiative in searching for potential investors from the countries of their representation, and in inviting Lithuanian businesses to look for export opportunities and partners.
“I would like to take the opportunity to encourage fellow ambassadors to set out one or two very specific tasks of economic diplomacy in the sphere of your activities and in addition to the specific plans for the next year. You should foresee possible results and work in order to implement them. Your actions are particularly needed now,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.
According to Lithuania’s Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius, who took part in the session on the cooperation between diplomatic services and business, changes in many spheres and a lot of effort of Lithuania’s diplomacy are needed in order to transform Lithuania into an open and dynamic country that does not fear global competition.
At the meeting, Minister A.Ažubalis mentioned that activities of Lithuania’s diplomatic service contributed? to the implementation of tasks, which were set out by the Government.
“Three out of six priorities of Lithuania’s Government for 2011 – creation of modern economy, enhancing energy security and modern governance of the state – are reflected in the strategic action plan of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,” Minister A.Ažubalis said.
Representation of economic interests abroad is one of the main directions of Lithuania’s foreign policy. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs coordinates all the spheres of our country’s foreign trade policy.
Lithuania’s diplomatic service promotes the development of economic relations not just with traditional partners (the EU, Russia, Ukraine, U.SA.), but also with China, India, the Middle East, Latin America, other emerging countries.
Established diplomatic relations between countries and the existing global network of honorary consuls helps our entrepreneurs to work in the farthermost countries, to enter and compete in new markets that are little-known, “politicized” and, therefore, difficult.
The effectiveness of Lithuania’s activities in trade policy is illustrated by the fact that positive for Lithuania decisions were made in all the EU anti-dumping investigation, where Lithuanian producers had essential interests.
Heads of Lithuania’s diplomatic representations abroad, directors general of the two public organizations – “Enterprise Lithuania” and “Invest Lithuania” - Paulius Lukauskas and Mantas Nocius took part in the session at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that was dedicated to the cooperation between the diplomatic service and business.