Foreign Affairs Minister Oana Toiu hosted on Wednesday, at the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE) headquarters, a meeting on consular topics of common interest among specialists in consular affairs from the US and Romania, in the context of the „Consular Leadership” conference.
On this occasion, Foreign Minister Oana Toiu underscored the importance of consular activity and bilateral cooperation in the consular area in view of ensuring the protection of Romanian and US citizens abroad, who are in difficult situations, including those caused by natural disasters or armed conflicts, a MAE release informed.
The dialogue between the US and Romanian representatives occasioned an exchange of experience regarding the best practices in solving consular cases they encountered throughout the activity carried out within embassies and consular offices around the world.
Furthermore, the discussions also underscored relevant aspects for consular activity in general, such as: the importance of constantly adopting consular instruments both to better inform the citizens traveling abroad and to increase efficiency of consular services and the substantial role of cooperation between states in major consular crisis, with the common objective of protecting the citizens’ safety,” the release mentioned.
The event was attended by US diplomats with the Department of State, as well as officials accredited in Europe and other continents, gathering for this event alongside representatives of the US Embassy in Bucharest.
The Romanian side was represented by the Secretary General of Romania’s MAE, coordinator of the consular activity and by representatives of the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Romania, the Consular Department. Taking part in the bilateral dialogue via videoconference were Romania’s Ambassador to Tunis and the country’s consuls general in Paris, Valencia and Haifa.
The event took place in the context of the „Consular Leadership” conference, periodically organised by the US Department of State, through the US Embassies, bringing together diplomats working in the consular area in view of strengthening their professional training. It is the first conference of this type which includes in its schedule a meeting under the leadership of Romania’s Foreign Affairs Ministry.
AGERPRES
