Getting ‘out and about’

Ambassadors tend to live and work in capital cities – not surprising, as that is where most government ministries and business people operate. Asuncion is no exception.

Like many Ambassadors I spend a lot of time in official meetings and diplomatic receptions of one sort or another. These provide good opportunities for progressing Embassy business. Internal management tasks and clearing my inbox can also take up a lot of time. With so much Asuncion-focused activity there are risks of getting trapped in ‘diplomatic bubble’ and disconnecting from reality.

One way to avoid the trap is to make a determined effort to get ‘out and about’. Now the new British Embassy is firmly established I have been doing just that.

In February, my wife and I visited the small rural community of Luz Bella in the department of San Pedro. There we saw how a British government funded project has helped empower small farmers to protect their traditional crops and lifestyle.

The focus on rural issues continued in March with a visit to the Escuela Agricola San Francisco run by the Fundacion Paraguaya. The Foundation has taught thousands of young people the key entrepreneurial and leaderships skills necessary to run a successful farming business – whether dairy, market garden or pigs. This award winning and sustainable Paraguayan approach to poverty reduction is now being replicated in Africa. How impressive is that?

The same day we attended the Techauka education fair in Villa Hayes and presented the British Government’s scholarship scheme to enthusiastic crowds of young people. Investing in young people is a priority for the Embassy.

Recently, separate visits to Tobati and Caazapa provided opportunities to delve into Paraguay’s rich cultural heritage. Tobati is home to some very talented lady potters who still produce beautiful hand made ceramic figures. It was a privilege to watch them at work.

I was equally impressed by Caazapa – a small, well kept and slightly out of the way town. The small church of San Pablo on the town’s attractive main plaza has one of the most beautiful carved wooden altars in Paraguay.

My most recent visits have been to the border cities of Salto del Guaira and Ciudad del Este. It was clear from our discussions that border business is facing tough times with turnover down by as much as 50%. But we were able to identify niche opportunities for British companies, which the Embassy will follow-up in the coming months.

I plan to get ‘out and about’ more in the coming months: the Chaco (Filadelfia and Neuland) is currently top of my list; Pilar and Humaita (Neembucu) are not far below. Perhaps you can suggest others?