Ukraine, Latvia to develop investment and innovation cooperation
This was discussed during a meeting, which took place in Riga within the framework of PM Groysman's official visit to Latvia, according to the Government portal.
"Ukraine is an important state for Europe. We support Ukraine and we are pleased that we have a serious economic partnership and cooperation. You can rely on us," the Latvian prime minister said.
The parties noted that the volume of mutual trade in goods and services increased by 27% last year with a positive for Ukraine balance of USD 102.6 million. The work of the Ukrainian-Latvian Intergovernmental Commission and the restoration of the work of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia (LIAA) in Kyiv will help strengthen cooperation between the countries.
"It is very important to develop our bilateral relations in various fields. We appreciate friendship and I'm glad we have good trading figures. I think we can set up ambitious goals in this direction," the Ukrainian prime minister said.
The heads of the governments paid significant attention to the possibilities for investment and innovation cooperation. In this context, Volodymyr Groysman outlined the government's key plans for economic changes in Ukraine, and also briefed the counterpart on intermediate results of fundamental reforms initiated in the social sphere and in the direction of deregulation and improvement of the business climate in Ukraine.
The sides called the agricultural sector and logistics as promising areas of innovation cooperation, in particular, the use of the Zubr container train, which connects the ports of Illichivsk, Odesa and Pivdennyi with the ports of Riga, Ventspils, Liepāja and Tallinn.
"We are very interested in bringing our infrastructural capabilities closer," Groysman claimed.
The parties expressed interest in interregional cooperation and assistance by Latvia in the process of implementation of reforms in Ukraine.
Following the talks, the prime ministers took part in the signing of two international documents - the protocol of intentions between the Ministries of Education and Science of Ukraine and Latvia on the work of a Ukrainian school in Riga, as well as the basic agreement on cooperation between the Riga Technical University and the National Technical University of Ukraine "Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute".
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