รัฐบาลไทย-ข่าวทำเนียบรัฐบาล-Thailand and Spain to push forward comprehensive cooperation for post-COVID-19 economic recovery
วันพุธที่ 15 ธันวาคม 2564
Thailand and Spain to push forward comprehensive cooperation for post-COVID-19 economic recovery
Thailand and Spain to push forward comprehensive cooperation for post-COVID-19 economic recovery
December 14, 2021, at 1500hrs, at the Ivory Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, H.E. Mr. Emilio de Miguel Calabia, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Thailand, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha on occasion of his completion of tenure. Government Spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana disclosed gist of the meeting as follows:
The Prime Minister welcomed Spanish Ambassador and thanked him for his role in actively promoting relations and cooperation between Thailand and Spain throughout his tenure. He also commended diplomatic relations between the two countries which have spanned for over 151 years, and hoped for more exchange of high-level visits and a visit of the Prime Minister of Spain in the future once the COVID-19 situation eases. The Spanish Ambassador expressed pleasure to be tenured in Thailand where he has gained good experiences, and witnessed relations and cooperation advancement in various areas, i.e., trade and investment, security, and education.
The Prime Minister thanked the Spanish Government for being the first European country to sell COVID-19 vaccines to Thailand, which reflects cordial relations between the two countries. As the country is now gradually reopening, the Ambassador expressed pleasure to push forward Thailand’s request for Spain to consider removing the country off the list of the countries at risk. He also commended the Prime Minister and the Thai Government for the effective COVID-19 preventive and control policy which resulted in the better situation Thailand is in now.
Both parties also came to terms that Thailand and Spain have potential to expand cooperation in various areas. On economic cooperation, the Prime Minister extended an invitation for Spanish investors to make investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), especially in the fields of digital technology, health and medicine, and smart logistics. Close security cooperation has also been forged, especially between the Royal Navy of the two countries, which include technology transfer, and joint training and exercise. The Ambassador was of the view that further cooperation can be tightened, on which the Prime Minister would assign concerned agency to proceed.
With regard to the fishery cooperation, the Prime Minister praised Spain’s leading role in suppressing IUU fishing, on which Thailand also places importance. He hoped that the two countries sign a memorandum of cooperation on fishery soon to promote technical cooperation, technology transfer, and to address IUU fishing in a sustainable manner.
The Prime Minister was also pleased to learn that Spain’s Center for Energy, Environmental and Technological Research is keen to collaborate with Thailand in the field of alternative energy, and hoped that an agreement could be reached in the near future on the matter. He added that Thailand and Spain should also seek cooperation on the issue of climate change.