The Generalitat currently has 21 foreign delegations that cover 72 countries around the world. The last one was created this summer with the name of Delegació dels Estats Andins to represent the Government in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela. The number of offices is the largest since this department was inaugurated in 2016, under the leadership by Raül Romvea. Now, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Meritxell Serret, has wanted to go one step further and has created a specialized and professional diplomatic corps to reinforce the deployment of international relations.
This body of foreign action and the European Union, which the ministry avoids describing as diplomatic, is one of the projects that Serret had in mind since he took office in October of last year. The Republican inherited a Department that lacked more professional personnel. Now, in the absence of the approval of the Parliament, this proposal aims to “attract talent specialized in international relations from outside the Catalan administration, people who until now could not find a job fit in the Generalitat, and who will now have the possibility of joining in a much more specific group that will take into account academic and professional experience in international relations.” Serret expressed this at the press conference this afternoon after the meeting of the Executive Council.
With its creation, the Government hopes to further internationalize the Government's action with the presence of this staff, not only in the Department of Foreign Affairs, but also in several of the Ministries of the Generalitat.
In any case, the creation of this diplomatic corps must pass the filter of the Parliament. The Government has approved a draft bill that must pass through the Catalan Chamber and have the endorsement of the majority. Serret has trusted that the processing will be as quick as possible. “It is an opportunity, but also a necessity, to retain talent and find profiles adapted to the Government's foreign action,” he stated.
However, the councilor has requested “not to speculate” on the number of people who may be involved in this process. It has been limited to ensuring that the first to be incorporated must be the Generalitat's own personnel, so there will be an internal promotion process. The candidates must pass examinations and competitions.
