The Catalan government has appointed three new representatives: to Mexico, Argentina and Tunisia. The appointees are Lleïr Daban (Mexico), David Poudevida (Argentina) and Ahmed Benallal (Tunisia). During a press conference following a meeting of the Executive Council today, Minister Alfred Bosch said all the delegates were selected through an open competition, as in the case of other representatives appointed in recent years, with a jury of experts in international affairs and human resources from the Ministry for Foreign Action.

 

The appointment of the three representatives takes place against the backdrop of a legal challenge against the new delegations in Argentina, Mexico and Tunisia that the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has lodged with the High Court of Justice of Catalonia. The Minister for Foreign Action said: “Despite this judicial offensive, the Catalan government won’t stop pursuing its foreign action, because what we’re doing is legal, legitimate and absolutely necessary.”

According to Bosch, in a global world, internationalisation is essential to avoid losing capacity. He said foreign action is necessary to effectively serve citizens and companies. “We need to be competitive in all areas, and we have to tell the world about the reality of Catalonia and our efforts to defend fundamental rights.” According to the minister, the legal challenge against the yet-to-be-opened delegations is part of the Spanish government’s strategy. “We won’t turn away from our duties, and we won’t allow our future to be challenged,” he said.

 

The three latest appointments bring the number of Catalan government representatives abroad to 15, and its delegations will now serve a total of 39 countries. With the creation of the delegations to Mexico, Argentina and Tunisia, the Government of Catalonia will re-establish its institutional presence in Latin America and be represented in Africa for the first time. Given the absolute necessity of internationalising Catalonia in all areas of activity, the government’s foreign action objective is to be represented on all of the world’s continents.