Austria's Diplomatic Conference Focuses on Foreign Policy

Lifestyle & TravelCulture ♦ Published: September 14, 2025; 23:53 ♦ (Vindobona)

Amid global crises and economic uncertainty, Austria’s Foreign Ministry is positioning itself with a clear strategic focus. The annual Ambassadors' Conference (BOKO) and the parallel Foreign Cultural Conference (AKT) in Vienna demonstrated how the Foreign Ministry, under the leadership of Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger and State Secretary Sepp Schellhorn, defends and promotes Austrian interests worldwide.

The annual Foreign Culture Conference (AKT) took place parallel to BOKO. / Picture: © OSCE / Finland Ministry for Foreign Affairs/Markku Pajunen/ ID 595879, (CC BY-ND 4.0)

More than 100 Austrian diplomats from around the world gathered in Vienna in early September to discuss the future strategic direction of foreign policy at the Botschafterkonferenz (BOKO). The focus was on strengthening Austria's position as an industrial location in global competition. As part of the “ReFocus Austria” initiative, the Foreign Ministry is acting as a “door opener,…