Latvian and Californian officials agree to strengthen cooperation in a number of areas

RIGA - During her working visit to the United States, Saeima Deputy Speaker Zanda Kalnina-Lukasevica (New Unity) and California's State Treasurer Fiona Ma agreed to strengthen cooperation in the areas of research, artificial intelligence and higher education.

LETA was informed by the Saeima's Press Service that Kalnina-Lukasevica met with California's state treasurer on Thursday and discussed opportunities for economic cooperation and investment attraction.

In response to Ma's invitation, the meeting took place at the treasurer's Sacramento office. The purpose of Kalnina-Lukasevica's working visit is to continue and strengthen the cooperation with California state officials and technology companies, as well as to promote university cooperation.

In the summer of 2024, Ma and a delegation of business representatives paid a working visit to Latvia, including the Saeima, and in the autumn of 2024, President Edgars Rinkevics and a delegation of business representatives visited California. As a result, the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the California business organization's signed an agreement on cooperation to promote economic relations. In response to the interest expressed by the partners in cooperation in the field of technology, Latvia established the Center for Artificial Intelligence.

"The positive cooperation and interest established at the political level and the opportunities provided by the AI Center Law create a very favorable basis for the implementation of initiatives by the academic and business sectors. Now it is time for the next steps," emphasized Kalnina-Lukasevica.

According to the Saeima, cooperation with Latvia gives Californian entrepreneurs access to the European Union (EU) single market and opportunities to develop new products in the EU regulated space. "Latvia is a knowledgeable, fast and reliable partner with strong advantages," the Deputy Speaker of the Saeima stressed. She said that economic cooperation would bring the most visible benefits to both Latvia and California.

Kalnina-Lukasevica also highlighted the potential cooperation in research and technology development - especially in the fields of artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, life sciences, digital health and precision medicine, as well as in the development and testing of innovations in the security sector.

In their conversation, Ma and Kalnina-Lukasevica paid special attention to the establishment of cooperation between Latvian and Californian universities. They agreed to actively facilitate this in the near future. This will also give Latvian universities the opportunity to adopt the experience of California in the commercialization of research.

In discussing other areas of potential cooperation, it was noted that California faces a shortage of affordable housing. Kalnina-Lukasevica invited the Californian representatives to visit Latvia and get acquainted with Latvia's offer in the production of wooden houses, stressing that this is also one of the potentially excellent areas for cooperation.