Latvia must make use of US technology supply chain initiative to strengthen economic security and cooperation - Braze

RIGA - Latvia should take advantage of the Pax Silica initiative aimed at stabilizing technology supply chains in order to strengthen economic security and technological cooperation with the U.S., Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braze (New Unity) said.

As LETA was told at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, representatives from the technology, innovation, energy and research sectors met at the ministry under the chairmanship of Braze on Thursday, to discuss Latvia’s opportunities within the US-led Pax Silica initiative. The initiative focuses on cooperation in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, energy, digital infrastructure and other strategic technologies.

The foreign minister emphasized that technology is no longer just a matter for business. It is also a matter of economic development, national security and foreign policy. She pointed out that it is in Latvia’s interests to cooperate closely with the US and other trusted partners to prevent critically important technologies from falling under the dominant control of a single country, including China.

According to Braze, Latvia already possesses expertise on which to base closer international cooperation. Latvia is involved in the development of next-generation 6G technology, and the country has established the first quantum communications backbone in the Baltic states. In the field of artificial intelligence, Latvia has joined the LUMI AI Factory, thereby strengthening access to Europe’s high-performance computing infrastructure.

Braze also highlighted Latvia’s potential in green energy and science. As total electricity production increases, the share of renewable energy sources in Latvia continues to rise. At the same time, Latvian universities and research institutes are already collaborating with international partners on the development of innovation and new technologies.

During the discussion, representatives from companies, academia, government and industry assessed how these capabilities could be put to practical use - such as attracting investment, joint research projects, business cooperation with US partners and integrating Latvia into reliable high-tech supply chains. In Braze’s view, Latvia must not only be able to define what it wishes to gain from this cooperation, but also clearly offer its own expertise to partners.

In June this year, Latvia received an invitation to take part in the second Pax Silica summit in Washington, where it endorsed a joint statement on the potential of artificial intelligence. The European Union (EU) has also joined the initiative, with the European Commission signing the Pax Silica declaration on behalf of the EU.

The aim of the discussions was to identify specific areas of Latvian expertise and cooperation projects, as well as the next steps, so that Latvia can make more targeted use of the opportunities offered by Pax Silica for investment, research and technological cooperation.

Pax Silica is a US-led international initiative aimed at strengthening economic security and ensuring reliable technology supply chains. It covers artificial intelligence, semiconductors, critical minerals, energy, digital infrastructure, logistics and other strategically important technology sectors.