PORT OF SPAIN: 15TH JUNE, 2023
Bilateral Political Consultations were held between the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago and the Republic of Latvia on 15th June 2023 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The Trinidad and Tobago delegation was led by Ms. Reita Toussaint, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, while the Latvian delegation was led by Mr. Andžejs Viļumsons, Undersecretary of State, Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia. The consultations provided a platform to begin discussions on cooperation at the bilateral level, as well as increasing the engagement between the two countries in multilateral fora.
In welcoming the Latvian officials to Trinidad and Tobago, the historical linkages between Tobago and Latvia were underscored. Both sides agreed that bilateral ties could be strengthened by building upon the existing historical ties through people and cultural exchange.
Discussions focused on areas with potential for cooperation and/or technical assistance, including digital transformation, agriculture in areas of food security and forest conservation, tourism and collaboration to facilitate air linkages; regional developments in the Caribbean and in Europe; multilateral relations and the voice of small states in the multilateral arena.
With regard to multilateral developments, the Permanent Secretary expressed appreciation for the support of Latvia for the election of His Excellency Dennis Francis as the President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, while the Undersecretary of State took the opportunity to congratulate Trinidad and Tobago on Ambassador Francis’ election. The Russia-Ukraine war and its effects in Europe and around the world featured in the exchange, the parties anticipating that it would also have long-lasting effects on the multilateral system.
The consultations concluded with an undertaking by both sides to follow up on the fruitful discussions on the bilateral front, including the provision of an expanded list of areas of interest for collaboration on the part of Trinidad and Tobago and commitment to cooperate at the United Nations and other multilateral fora.
