New Ambassadors for Cairo, Lima and the OECD Presented at the Černín Palace

On 2 September 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic continued one of its useful traditions in economic diplomacy: bringing newly appointed Czech ambassadors together with representatives of Czech companies shortly before the diplomats depart for their new posts abroad.

The meeting, held at the historic Černín Palace in Prague, was organised by the Ministry’s Department of Economic and Science Diplomacy. Similar gatherings had already taken place in August for newly departing heads of Czech missions in Washington, Rome, Lisbon, Doha, Hanoi, Skopje and other important destinations. The purpose is practical as much as ceremonial: Czech companies receive direct access to the diplomats who will soon represent their interests abroad, while the ambassadors can learn first-hand what Czech exporters and investors expect from the country’s diplomatic network. Tschechisches Außenministerium

This time, the focus was on three very different but strategically significant assignments: the Czech Embassy in Cairo, the Embassy in Lima, and the Czech Permanent Delegation to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development – OECD – in Paris.

The incoming ambassadors were introduced by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marie Chatardová, herself one of the Czech Republic’s most experienced diplomats. Chatardová served as Czech Ambassador to the United Kingdom from 2021 to 2025 and previously as Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, where she also served as President of the UN Economic and Social Council. She was appointed Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs in December 2025. Tschechisches Außenministerium

For an event dedicated to the connection between diplomacy and business, there could hardly have been a more appropriate host.

Diplomacy before departure

The Czech Foreign Ministry’s číše vína – literally, a “glass of wine” – is much more than a farewell reception.

It has developed into a practical networking format bringing together diplomats and Czech business representatives before ambassadors assume their posts. Rather than waiting until companies encounter difficulties abroad, the Ministry creates a direct relationship between ambassadors and potential exporters, investors and industry associations from the beginning.

The idea reflects the increasingly important role of economic diplomacy in Czech foreign policy.

For a strongly export-oriented industrial economy, an embassy is not simply a place for political reporting and consular services. It is also expected to help companies understand foreign markets, identify reliable partners, navigate local institutions and open doors that would otherwise remain difficult to access.

That philosophy is also visible in the Ministry’s programme of economic diplomacy projects, known as PROPED, which supports business forums, sectoral presentations, trade missions, exhibitions and other activities designed to create opportunities for Czech exporters. Tschechisches Außenministerium

The three postings presented on 2 September illustrate just how varied modern diplomacy has become.

One ambassador was leaving for the largest Arab country.

Another for one of South America’s most important Pacific economies.

The third was not going to another country at all, but to one of the world’s most influential economic organisations.

Jakub Šlosárek – from Ramallah to Cairo

The new Czech Ambassador to Egypt is Jakub Šlosárek, an experienced diplomat with considerable knowledge of the Middle East.

Born in Prague in 1972, Šlosárek studied business administration at the Prague University of Economics and Business and later completed the Diplomatic Academy of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Before his appointment to Cairo, he headed the Czech Representative Office in Ramallah from 2022 until April 2026. Earlier he served as Deputy Director of the Ministry’s Middle East and North Africa Department. Tschechisches Außenministerium

That background is particularly valuable in Cairo.

Egypt is not simply another bilateral posting. With more than 100 million inhabitants, its geographical position between Africa, the Middle East and the Mediterranean, control of the Suez Canal and its political influence throughout the Arab world make it one of the most significant countries in the region.

The Czech Embassy in Cairo also has diplomatic responsibility for Egypt, Sudan and Eritrea, giving the mission a wider regional dimension. Tschechisches Außenministerium

For Czech companies, Egypt offers opportunities in areas where Czech industry has considerable experience: transport infrastructure, engineering, energy, defence and security technologies, agriculture, healthcare, water management and increasingly smart-city technology.

The economic aspect of the mission is already highly visible. In 2026, the Czech Embassy in Cairo was preparing business activities ranging from veterinary products and animal feed to a Czech corporate presentation focused on smart cities and smart mobility. MZe

Šlosárek therefore takes over a mission where political diplomacy and commercial diplomacy are closely intertwined.

Petr Mikyska – returning to Latin America

The appointment of Petr Mikyska to Lima is in many ways a return to familiar territory.

Mikyska, born in 1966, is one of the most experienced Czech career diplomats specialising in regions outside Europe. He studied international journalism and began his diplomatic career shortly after the fall of communism.

His career has taken him around the world.

He served at the Czech Embassy in Havana, later worked at the Czech Embassy in Lima from 1998 to 2004 as Deputy Head of Mission and head of the economic section, served in Toronto and Mexico City, became head of the Czech mission in Yerevan and subsequently Ambassador to Armenia from 2015 to 2019.

From 2019 to 2023 he served as Czech Ambassador to Georgia. Tschechisches Außenministerium

His return to Peru therefore has particular significance.

Unlike a diplomat arriving in the country for the first time, Mikyska already knows Peru, its institutions, its political culture and the realities of doing business in Latin America.

The Czech Embassy in Lima is accredited not only to Peru but also to Ecuador, increasing the importance of the post. Tschechisches Außenministerium

The relationship between the Czech lands and Peru is also older than many people might assume. Diplomatic relations between Czechoslovakia and Peru date back to the early years of the First Czechoslovak Republic, and Prague established a permanent diplomatic presence in Lima before the Second World War.

Today the emphasis is increasingly economic.

Peru is rich in minerals, has a substantial mining sector and requires infrastructure, transport, environmental technologies, energy solutions and industrial equipment – all sectors in which Czech companies can offer specialised products and technology.

There is also a strong people-to-people dimension. A Czech-Peruvian Working Holiday Agreement entered into force in February 2026, allowing young citizens of both countries to combine travel and temporary employment and thereby expanding contacts beyond government and business. Zákony pro lidi

Mikyska therefore returns to Latin America with extensive regional knowledge and an unusually broad diplomatic résumé.

Tomáš Dub – representing Czechia at the OECD

The third appointment was different in character but arguably no less important.

Tomáš Dub was selected as the Czech Republic’s new Permanent Representative to the OECD in Paris.

Dub combines diplomatic, economic and political experience.

Trained as an economist specialising in international trade at the Prague University of Economics, he began his professional career in the Ministry of Economy before entering politics.

From 1994 to 2002 he was Mayor of Prague 7. He subsequently served in the Prague City Assembly and, from 2002 to 2010, as a member of the Czech Chamber of Deputies, where his work included foreign affairs and NATO parliamentary cooperation.

He later became Deputy Foreign Minister before serving as Czech Ambassador to Japan from 2014 to 2018 and Ambassador to Australia and several Pacific countries from 2019 to 2023. Between 2023 and 2025 he worked at the Government Office as Deputy Minister for European Affairs. Tschechisches Außenministerium

Dub officially assumed his OECD post on 14 September 2026, when he presented his credentials to OECD Secretary-General Mathias Cormann. Tschechisches Außenministerium

His appointment comes at an especially interesting moment.

The Czech Republic joined the OECD in 1995 and marked the thirtieth anniversary of its membership in 2025–26. The organisation plays a major role in analysing economic competitiveness, taxation, investment, education, labour markets, digitalisation, energy and structural reform.

For a Czech economy attempting to move from industrial subcontracting towards higher-value production, innovation and stronger domestic capital formation, OECD recommendations are far from academic.

They affect questions at the heart of the Czech economic debate: productivity, pensions, taxation, education, investment, innovation and long-term competitiveness.

And Dub is arriving just as Czechia prepares for a particularly visible role: the OECD Council has selected the Czech Republic to chair its 2027 Ministerial Council Meeting. Tschechisches Außenministerium

His posting therefore has both diplomatic and economic importance.

Three destinations – three different Czech interests

The three appointments presented at the Černín Palace also illustrate the extraordinary breadth of Czech foreign policy.

Egypt represents regional security, Middle Eastern politics, Africa, trade routes and one of the largest consumer markets in the Arab world.

Peru, together with Ecuador under the Lima embassy’s accreditation, represents Czech engagement with Latin America and offers opportunities in mining, infrastructure, industrial technology and environmental solutions.

The OECD, meanwhile, represents the multilateral dimension – the rules, standards and economic policies that ultimately influence the competitiveness of Czech companies at home.

There is therefore a logical connection between all three postings and the presence of representatives of Czech companies at the reception.

Diplomacy today is not only conducted across negotiating tables between governments.

It is also conducted through exports, technology, investment, universities, scientific cooperation and personal networks.

Marie Chatardová and a generation of Czech diplomacy

The participation of Marie Chatardová also connected the new appointments with the considerable experience accumulated by Czech diplomacy during the past three decades.

Her own career has included postings at some of the most important multilateral and bilateral missions of the Czech Republic – including the United Nations in New York and the Embassy in London. Tschechisches Außenministerium

Introducing ambassadors who are about to represent the country in Cairo, Lima and at the OECD therefore carried a certain symbolism.

The Czech Republic is a relatively small country.

Its diplomatic ambitions nevertheless extend across the world.

And for a country of its size, the quality of ambassadors and the effectiveness of its diplomatic network matter enormously.

Personal relationships can often make the difference between a Czech company obtaining access to a ministry or government agency abroad – or never reaching the right person.

From the Černín Palace into the world

The číše vína receptions therefore occupy an interesting place between ceremony and practical foreign policy.

There are speeches, handshakes and, naturally, a glass of wine.

But behind the relaxed format lies a very practical objective.

Before departing, the ambassadors meet people whose businesses, technologies and investments they may later be asked to support thousands of kilometers from Prague.

Contacts are exchanged.

Markets are discussed.

Potential projects are identified.

And a relationship begins before the aircraft has even left Václav Havel Airport.

On 2 September, three experienced representatives of the Czech Republic prepared to take on very different assignments.

Jakub Šlosárek headed for Cairo.

Petr Mikyska for Lima.

And Tomáš Dub for Paris and the OECD.

Different continents, different responsibilities and different diplomatic challenges – but one common mission:

to represent the Czech Republic, strengthen its international relationships and help open doors for Czech interests and Czech companies abroad.