The Department of Foreign Action has launched the relaunch and a profound reformulation of the Diplocat, with the aim of professionalizing, reinforcing and depoliticizing this public-private platform for the projection of Catalonia in the world. To symbolize this change, Diplocat is “reborn” under the name of Catalunya Internacional in the absence of this change in orientation being definitively approved by the consortium.
In this way, the double objective of leaving behind the difficult period that began with the application by the Spanish Government of article 155, which ordered the liquidation of the Consell de Diplomàcia Pública de Catalunya, is sought. And, likewise, it is committed to a solid and long-term strategy in the Government's foreign policy.
Minister Victòria Alsina explains that her objective is to make Catalunya Internacional grow and that this network can include all those public-private entities that have an international agenda. It is about making a relaunch "that can capitalize on the talent" that exists in the country and project it abroad. "I want research centers, cultural and sports entities, gastronomy and food entities, and all those economic actors that have an international agenda to join."
This profound change was addressed at a meeting held last Thursday and must be ratified at the plenary session to be held next quarter. Some changes that go beyond the change of the name and the out-of-doors strategy since they also imply a modification of the statutes that reorder the consortium that was born in 2012, when the Foreign Action department did not yet exist. "Until now - Alsina points out - the Diplocat has had very open and limited functions and what we do is reorder the functions of each one". It is intended that there be no duplications or a double line of action for the internationalization of Catalonia.
The modification of the statutes will affect governance with the aim that the management and government bodies are more plural. It is expected that all entities can participate in the governing council, where the main strategic decisions are made, according to sources from the Ministry.
Alsina wants to thus draw a country's foreign policy whose axes can last over time regardless of who is in charge of the Government. The action of Catalunya Internacional will thus run in parallel and in coordination with Acció Exterior, which gives special importance to the support from the Ministry for civil society initiatives and not only for public entities. In this sense, it is recalled that the delegations abroad that the Generalitat is opening also have this objective of being a gateway and support for both public and private initiatives.
The changes in the functioning of Catalunya Internacional, in addition to having a more plural governing council, will go through the formation of a smaller and more agile executive council and a technical direction after public competition. The name of Catalunya Internacional is inspired by the brands of reference entities in foreign projection, as is the case of Montreal Internacional, an entity that the minister visited on her recent trip to Quebec. It is also considered important that the name of Catalonia appears in this renewed international projection strategy.
Acció Exterior thus takes a step forward in the reformulation of the international policy of the Generalitat with new wicks and "with a different concept", according to the sources consulted. The relaunch and reform of Diplocat wants to leave behind the difficult period that the consortium went through after the Council of Ministers decreed its liquidation in 2017, understanding that its function was to promote the independence process abroad. In addition to the control by the Court of Auditors of the expenses of the Diplocat.
As indicated by the department, in this new stage they want to grow Catalunya Internacional, a consortium that now forms public institutions and municipal entities - Generalitat, Barcelona and Tarragona city councils. Lleida and Girona-, the Conselh Generau d'Aran, among others, and business entities such as Foment, Pimec, sports entities such as F.C Barcelona and trade unions.
