Vienna and Budapest intensify city diplomacy and joint projects

In February 2025, a two-day meeting was held in Budapest to deepen the partnership between the capitals of Austria and Hungary. The delegation from Vienna included the Executive City Councillor of Finance, Peter Hanke and the President of the Vienna Economic Chamber, Walter Ruck. The purpose of their visit was to strengthen city-diplomatic relations and to exchange information on Budapest's economic development and the city's current challenges.

The delegation began with a visit to the International Office of the City of Vienna in Budapest, which plays a central role in bilateral knowledge transfer, positioning Vienna and promoting diplomatic relations. After a reception hosted by the office team and office manager Szandra Titanilla Fuchs, Executive City Councillor Hanke and President of the Vienna Economic Chamber Ruck were briefed on the Vienna-Budapest dialogue and the upcoming joint projects between the two cities in 2025.

Philipp Schramel, Austria's commercial counsellor in Budapest, presented the current developments in economic cooperation between the two capitals and detailed analyses of the most important economic trends. Commercial Attaché Claudia Angermayr, highlighted business-related events in 2025, these will focus in particular on sustainability. The event concluded with a meeting with Astrid Harz, Austrian Ambassador to Hungary, which focussed on bilateral economic relations between the two countries.

Strengthening the partnership between Vienna and Budapest

On the second day of their visit to Budapest, the Viennese delegation met with János Kendernay, Senior Adviser on City Diplomacy to the Mayor of Budapest. The meeting focussed on the development of bilateral relations and the further expansion of the excellent cooperation in the field of city diplomacy. A wide range of topics were discussed, including the challenges of housing construction in Budapest, the plans for the Rákosrendezo site and the possibility of organising the Olympic Games in Hungary.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to achieving common goals and stated that knowledge transfer and the organisation of expert delegations will continue to be a priority. The meeting marked an important milestone in the partnership between Vienna and Budapest. Vienna's Executive City Councillor of Finance and Business confirmed that he wants to continue to support a strong and continuous dialogue between the two partner cities.