The Diplomat
The Ibero-American Secretary General, Andrés Allamand, and on behalf of the Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Péter Szijjártó, the Hungarian Ambassador to Spain, Katalin Tóth, have signed the Memorandum of Understanding between Hungary and the SEGIB on the Stipendium Hungaricum scholarships for Ibero-American students.
This agreement, which offers 20 university education scholarships for Ibero-American students, “is the first step on a joint path and we are convinced that it will lead Hungary towards future prosperous collaborations with the Ibero-American Community in other areas of knowledge, education and social cohesion,” the Hungarian Embassy said in a statement.
Hungary’s Associate Observer status was approved in December 2020 and officially formalised at the Ibero-American Summit in Andorra in April 2021. The Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and in particular Minister Szijjártó, “places special emphasis on broadening horizons and seeking partnerships outside Europe,” the statement continues, “which, especially in recent times, is essential. For this reason, in 2015 Hungary developed the ‘Opening to the South’ strategy, thanks to which in the last 7 years we reopened several embassies closed during the 2008 crisis and decided to open new ones in Latin America”.
“This embassy, the statement concludes, works to bring Hungary closer to the Latin American and Caribbean region, taking advantage of the fact that the capital of Spain is the best place in Europe to strengthen ties with our Ibero-American friends. During Hungary’s upcoming trio EU Presidency with Spain and Belgium, our country will support the Spanish priority of highlighting the importance of Latin America for Europe.”
