On 17 September 2020, the State Secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, welcomed an introductory visit from the Ambassador of Sweden, Karin Höglund.
Andris Pelšs underlined that Sweden is a close ally and an important regional partner for Latvia. The two states are linked by a direct dialogue in all areas and levels, and this forms a solid base for regional and international cooperation. The officials agreed that prosperity and security across the region can be ensured only through joint efforts.
Sweden is one of the main trade partners to Latvia and it is the leader in investments. The time of the pandemic has clearly shown the increasing importance of digital technologies – an area where bilateral cooperation between Latvia and Sweden and immediate links in the region hold a great potential. Secure digital development is vital to the economic growth and securisty of countries.
Ambassador Höglund congratulated Latvia on being elected to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. The officials confirmed the need for further cooperation in international organisations bilaterally and in the Baltic-Nordic format. Andris Pelšs expressed support from Latvia for Sweden upon assuming the presidency of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in 2021.
The Ambassador has served at Swedish missions in Bulgaria, Austria, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the USA, as well as holding various posts at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sweden. Before being posted to Latvia she headed the Foreign Ministry’s Americas Department.
Karin Höglund has submitted a copy of her credentials at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The accreditation ceremony with the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, has been scheduled for next week.