Challenges and opportunities The main goal of foreign policy is to safeguard sovereignty and independence within secure borders. Thanks to Liechtenstein’s membership in international organisations and institutions such as the CSCE/OSCE, the Council of Europe, the United Nations, EFTA, the EEA and the WTO as well as through numerous international treaties, Liechtenstein’s sovereignty is recog­ nised worldwide. The primary objective now is to ensure that Liechtenstein is dealt with as an equal. For a small state like Liechtenstein, the uniform application of international law is key. At the same time, Liechtenstein has a substantial interest in the progressive development of international law in open decision-making processes that are accessible to all states. Especially in today’s multipolar world, there is a danger of a renaissance of power politics. Liechtenstein is able to safeguard its political, economic and cultural interests only through an active foreign policy. In a globalised world, in which political decisions are increasingly shifted to the international level, Liechtenstein cannot afford to stand at the sidelines. More and more, national states are unable to act unilaterally or without consulting other states. A foreign policy understood and practiced as interest-driven policy therefore requires Liechtenstein’s permanent and targeted international presence. The progress of internationalisation represents a significant challenge for Liechtenstein. Liechtenstein’s foreign policy is confronted with the task of using limited personnel and financial resources to take effective advantage of the existing room for manoeuvre at the international level, to build up networks, to gain access to decisionmaking levels and take influence in international negotiations in the interest of Liechtenstein, and thereby especially to work on behalf of preserving national leeway for decision-making. Liechtenstein can master this challenge only through a proactive foreign policy and great personal commitment. When defining Liechtenstein’s interests, it must be taken into account that foreign policy and domestic policy are closely interlinked. The concerns of the population and the private sector as well as the domestic policy goals must be reflected in the foreign policy priorities. That this is the case can be seen especially in the foreign policy priorities «Neighbourhood policy and other priority countries», «European integration», and «Foreign economic and financial centre policy». Also our commitment to «Multilateralism» and our membership in key international organisations primarily serve to shape and safeguard Liechtenstein’s fundamental interests. Beyond this, foreign policy should in future continue to include certain ideal goals. Liechtenstein’s commitment to «Human rights and the rule of law» and «International solidarity» is an expression of this. Through its many years of credible commitment, Liechtenstein has Foreign policy has to take effective advantage of the existing room for manoeuvre at the international level. developed a strong profile in these areas. This commit­ment makes a positive contribu­ tion to Liechtenstein’s international reputation and helps convey a differentiated image of the country. | 7