On 4 October 2021, the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, received accreditation visits from the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Belgium, Karl Peeters, the Ambassador of Qatar, Abdulla Abdulrahman Nasser Fakhroo, and the non-resident Ambassador of Indonesia, Kamapradipta Isnomo.
In a conversation with the State Secretary, the Belgian Ambassador highlighted the close bilateral relations between Latvia and Belgium; he also pointed out that 2021 sees 100 years since Belgium, as one of the first five countries worldwide, recognised Latvia de jure.
Having noted that Belgium was a close partner and ally to Latvia in the EU and NATO, and other international organisations, Andris Pelšs thanked Belgium for its contribution to the strengthening of security in the Baltic region.
The two countries have established good cooperation in traditional sectors of economy and the areas of smart technologies, for instance, renewable energy resources and information and communication technologies. The State Secretary also made note of Latvia’s successful cooperation with Belgian regions – Flanders and Wallonia. Cooperation in the format of the Baltic and Benelux states is increasing, which is evidenced by regular meetings of senior officials and an Agreement between the Baltic and Benelux States on the mutual automatic recognition of higher education qualifications signed this past September.
In a meeting with the Ambassador of Qatar, the strengthening of the bilateral dialogue between Latvia and Qatar was discussed, focusing on economic cooperation between the two countries, especially in the areas of logistics, forestry, information and communication technologies, and the air and sea transport.
The Ambassador of Qatar affirmed that during his posting he would devote special attention to the promotion of contacts between the businesses of the two countries. The Ambassador also noted that FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 was expected to offer further opportunities for economic cooperation and investments. The officials then discussed the issues of current importance in international politics, including developments in Afghanistan, which were posing serious security challenges in not only Afghanistan but also the wider region.
As the State Secretary met with the Ambassador of Indonesia, the officials expressed satisfaction with current bilateral consultations, and they expressed intention of continuing such a political dialogue in future. Cooperation in the United Nations was welcomed, with a special emphasis on the fight against disinformation. The diplomats also underlined the need for developing economic ties between the two countries. Andris Pelšs drew the Ambassador’s attention to the potential for cooperation in information and communication technologies as well as transport and logistics. Latvia also has expertise in forest management, including through the use of UAVs (drones) manufactured in Latvia, the State Secretary noted.