On 4 June 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with Jutta Urpilainen, Commissioner for International Partnerships of the European Commission (EC), who was on an official visit to Latvia. During the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that in the face of the current geopolitical situation, strengthening cooperation with like-minded partners is strategically important, especially in the long run. The European Commission’s Global Gateway strategy plays an important role in positioning the EU as a strong and trusted partner on a global scale. At the same time, she stressed the need to keep the development of human capital in mind when planning connectivity projects.
During her visit, the EC Commissioner for International Partnerships, Juta Urpilainen, met with the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, as well as representatives of the Latvian private sector, non-governmental organisations and line ministries to discuss the EU’s role in global development cooperation. The Secretary of State pointed out that the involvement of the private sector – small and medium-sized enterprises in particular – is important for Latvia when it comes to implementing the Global Gateway strategy. It is essential that the allocation of EU funding and the implementation of projects balance the geopolitical interests of the EU and partner countries in all regions of importance to Member States. The Commissioner stressed the importance of public-private cooperation in developing connectivity, calling on the Latvian private sector to be proactive and to implement the Global Gateway projects. At the same time, she stressed that active cooperation between EU Member States and partner countries is essential.
The business representatives expressed their interest and readiness to pursue opportunities in the African region and Central Asia. When taking questions from the private sector, the Commissioner called for them to stay up to date by following updates and developments on how entrepreneurs and businesses can participate in the EC’s overall Global Gateway strategy.
For information
The EU’s Global Gateway strategy is a public-private investment offer that aims to mobilise up to EUR 300 billion of investment globally between 2021 and 2027.
Read more about Global Gateway: www.consilium.europa.eu
