On 29 May 2024, the new Honorary Consulate of Latvia in Cologne, Germany, was opened in the presence of Alda Vanaga, Ambassador of Latvia to Germany, and Henriette Reker, Mayor of Cologne. Dr Matthias Schubert has been appointed Honorary Consul of the Republic of Latvia in North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate.
Latvian Ambassador Alda Vanaga emphasised the important role of the exile organisations in North Rhine-Westphalia, especially the Münster Latvian Centre and the former Münster Latvian Gymnasium, as well as the Baltic Christian Association in Annaberg, in maintaining the idea of Latvian statehood during the occupation period and also during the restoration of independence. The Ambassador also expressed her delight with the decades of active cooperation at the local level and pointed to the high potential for economic cooperation with North Rhine-Westphalia:
“The Rhine-Ruhr region has long been a driving force of the German economy, opening up a wide range of cooperation opportunities for Latvian companies looking for new export markets. Several companies in the region have recognised the advantages of Latvia by making significant investments in the Latvian economy. I am pleased that the new Honorary Consul has also expressed his willingness to actively use his knowledge, experience and wide range of contacts to promote the strengthening of economic ties and Latvia as an attractive investment destination.”
The Grand Master of Cologne congratulated the Honorary Consul on his appointment and expressed her confidence that Dr Matthias Schubert will be able to successfully continue the work of his predecessor, Prof. Bruno O. Braun and successfully defend Latvia’s interests in North Rhine-Westphalia. She thanked Latvia and the other Baltic states for their crucial support to Ukraine. She also stressed that despite Latvia’s tragic 20th-century history and prolonged occupation, it has been able to implement sweeping changes in a short time, successfully integrating into the EU and NATO: “Today, 20 years after Latvia joined both of these important organisations, no one can be in any doubt that Latvia is a full member of the European family of democracies, from which we here in Germany can learn a lot.”
The newly appointed Honorary Consul expressed thanks for the honour of representing the interests of the Republic of Latvia in the two federal states.
“Latvia is one of the most digitally advanced countries and we in Germany can learn a lot from it. This is one of the areas where I see high potential for cooperation, and I am therefore committed and open to working with federal state officials, businesses, Latvian associations and the consular corps to find new ways to strengthen partnerships.”
Since 2017, Dr Matthias Schubert has been Vice President of Mobility at TÜV Rheinland. The office of the Honorary Consul is located at the TÜV Rheinland premises in Cologne.
He succeeded Prof. Bruno O. Braun, Commander of the Latvian Cross of Recognition, who had served as Consul since 1994.
