From 16 to 18 June 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host annual economy-themed training workshop for Latvian diplomats abroad, which is being organized for the first time in cooperation with the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA). The aim of the training is to provide an in-depth insight into economic processes and to promote cooperation between diplomats and LIAA staff so as to offer the necessary support to Latvian businesses, facilitate exports and attract investments. For the first time, Latvian economic diplomats, together with the representatives of LIAA abroad, will participate in a joint contact exchange with Latvian entrepreneurs.
The training workshop organised by the Foreign Ministry and LIAA will be opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, and the Minister of Economy, Viktor Valainis. The Director of LIAA Ieva Jāgere, for her part, will provide an in-depth overview of current major investment projects in Latvia and LIAA goals in mobilising investments.
The programme includes discussions on topics such as the attraction of investments and promotion of exports, priorities under the EU’s multi-annual budget and opportunities provided by EU funds, the macroeconomic situation as viewed by the Bank of Latvia, as well as the development of the defence industry in Latvia, from the perspective of both the public and private sectors.
The participants, together with LIAA, the Latvian Employers’ Confederation (LDDK), the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LTRK), the Latvian Exporters’ Association “The Red Jackets”, and the Latvian Industry Development Confederation (LIAK), will discuss the forms, tools and methods of cooperation to further Latvia’s external economic interests more successfully.
The Latvian Ambassador to India Juris bone and the Ambassador to Tϋrkiye Bahtijors Hasans will inform the trainees about the opportunities and means available to embassies in support of businesses, while the LIAA staff in Australia, South Korea, Israel, and Spain will share their experience of current developments and opportunities in the countries where they represent Latvia.
Every year as part of the training, the diplomats take a closer look at companies in a Latvian region – this year it will be Zemgale. On 18 June, the participants will visit companies SIA Lafora and SIA Fortes.
Taking part in training are Latvian diplomats from 31 countries and LIAA staff from 17 countries, working with the promotion of economic relations and building contacts on a daily basis. Representatives from almost 90 companies have already applied for participation to receive individual consultations on the opportunities for export promotion and support in foreign markets in 33 countries.
At the matchmaking event on 17 June LIAA experts working together with Latvian diplomats abroad will provide advice on export promotion and support in the markets of respective countries: Australia, Austria, Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Israel, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Uzbekistan.
Diplomats from the Foreign Ministry will also hold consultations on export opportunities and support instruments for countries where there is no LIAA representative office: Azerbaijan, Belgium, China, Czechia, Egypt, Estonia, France, Georgia, Hungary, India, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Poland, Türkiye, and Ukraine.