Latvia deepens relations with Latin American states

From 12 – 13 May, Foreign Ministry Parliamentary Secretary Eriks Zunda will participate in the 14^th EU-Rio Group Ministerial Meeting in Prague, the Czech Republic. The agenda for this year's meeting will focus on two themes "The Search for Renewable Energy Sources to Enhance Global Energy Security and Impacts of Climate Change" and "Financial Stability and Economic Growth Worldwide".  The meeting of the EU-Rio Group is in Latvia's interests so as to promote the recognition of Latvia in the region and to strengthen political dialogue and economic co-operation. The EU-Rio Group dialogue is important to Latvia also with regard to issues of energy effectiveness and on the lessening of the effects of climate change.

Within the framework of the meeting, Parliamentary Secretary Eriks Zunda and the Assistant State Secretary of the Foreign Ministry of Peru, Antonio Garcia Revilla, will sign a joint memorandum on Political Consultations between both Foreign Ministries.

Latin America is a significant partner of the EU. Both regions are united by deep historical ties and common values as well as by multilateral commonalities.  The EU continues to be a significant international donor to Latin America and is an important trading partner to several Latin American states. The EU-Rio Group Ministerial Meeting is the second most important EU co-operation format with the Latin American states. The meeting will also be attended by Cuba, which joined the EU-Rio Group this past November. The EU-Rio Group Ministerial Meeting format was created in 1991 so as to promote the exchange of views on topics of importance to both the EU and to the Rio Group states. Latvia has participated in the previous two EU-Rio Group meetings, in 2005 and in 2007.

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