This week, on 16–17 June, the Ministry of Finance (MoF) hosted the second Annual Meeting of the Swiss–Latvian Cooperation Programme. The discussions focused on the progress achieved to date and the next steps for successful implementation of the programme by the end of 2029, covering four key areas: environment, health, vocational education and training and applied research. The meeting brought together representatives from the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation, the Embassy of Switzerland in Riga, the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as other programme stakeholders, including representatives from the Paying and Audit Authorities.
“Through this cooperation programme, Switzerland is making a significant contribution to Latvia’s development in four strategically important areas – environment, health, vocational education, and research. All four sectoral programmes have now entered their implementation phase, and alongside the financial contribution of EUR 42.4 million, the cooperation with Swiss partners plays a particularly important role. The transfer of knowledge, expertise, and practical experience – especially in the fields of research and contaminated site remediation – builds on the positive experience of the previous programme period,” stated Mr Armands Eberhards, Deputy State Secretary at the Ministry of Finance.
The Ambassador of the Swiss Confederation to Latvia, Mr Martin Michelet, underlined: “The implementation of all four programmes clearly demonstrates progress and confirms our joint commitment to advancing meaningful improvements in the selected areas. This year’s Annual Meeting clearly highlights the importance of continued close cooperation and our shared goals. For Switzerland, strengthening partnerships with European countries is particularly important in the current circumstances. I believe that by sharing our high-level competence, experience, and knowledge, we can achieve long-term benefits for both our societies.”
At the meeting, the Ministry of Finance reported that significant steps have already been taken to initiate all four programmes.
The programme “Development of Paediatric Cancer Care in Latvia”, implemented by the Ministry of Health, has a total budget of approximately EUR 9.3 million (EUR 7.9 million from Switzerland and EUR 1.4 million from the Latvian state budget). The programme was approved in summer 2024, and implementation by the Children's Clinical University Hospital began in October 2024. The project is carried out in close cooperation with Swiss medical institutions – the University Hospital of Lausanne and the University Hospital of Zurich – and collaboration opportunities with other Swiss hospitals, such as the University Children’s Hospital Zurich, are also being explored.
The goal of the project is to significantly improve the diagnosis and treatment of children with cancer and rare diseases by the end of 2029, including the establishment of a long-term follow-up system and strengthening the capacity of healthcare professionals. Therapy teams have already been established, and the development of clinical protocols for the most common paediatric cancers has begun. Laboratory teams are preparing procurement documentation for necessary equipment, and a patient survey to assess quality of life has been launched.
The programme “Remediation of Historically Contaminated Sites”, implemented by the Ministry of Climate and Energy, has a total budget of approximately EUR 15.2 million (EUR 12.9 million from Switzerland and EUR 2.3 million from the Latvian budget). The programme was approved in November 2024, and implementation activities began this year, with the project being carried out by the State Environmental Service in partnership with Aizkraukle Municipality. By the end of 2029, the programme aims to complete the remediation of a former industrial site in Aizkraukle, reduce pollution in soil and groundwater, and establish a long-term monitoring system. Procurement documentation for the remediation works is currently being finalised in close cooperation with Swiss experts. The project implementation team is fully in place, and planning for the monitoring system has already started.
The programme “Partnership in Applied Research: Innovative Materials, Information and Communication Technologies and Smart Energy”, under the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and Science (MoES), has a budget of approximately EUR 12.3 million (EUR 10.5 million from Switzerland and EUR 1.8 million from the Latvian budget). The programme was approved in November 2024, and implementation began in early 2025. Its goal is to strengthen cooperation between Latvia and Switzerland in applied research, promote knowledge transfer to the economy, and improve the quality of doctoral studies and researcher skills in priority fields. The first coordination meetings have already taken place in Latvia and Switzerland, with agreements reached on the overall cooperation framework. The leading partners on the Latvian side are Riga Technical University and the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia, while Swiss partners include the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology, the Paul Scherrer Institute, the Zurich University of Applied Sciences and the Swiss Center for Electronics and Microtechnology.
The vocational education programme “Stronger Work-Based Learning for the Improvement of Vocational Education and Training in Latvia”, implemented by MoES, has a total budget of approximately EUR 12.3 million, including EUR 10.5 million from Switzerland and EUR 1.8 million from the Latvian state budget. The programme aims to significantly strengthen the alignment between vocational education and the labour market by November 2029, addressing the shortage of qualified labour and fostering stronger engagement from industry. Implementation of programme activities began in the spring of this year, including a project led by the State Education Development Agency in cooperation with sectoral associations and Swiss partners. The aim is to develop a modern, industry-based vocational education model that meets the needs of the labour market. Currently, working groups are being established, cooperation with sectoral associations is being reinforced, and preparations are under way for collaboration with Swiss partners – including Hotel & Gastro Formation (National Centre for Vocational Education in the Hospitality and Gastronomy Sector), the Swiss Federal University for Vocational Education and Training and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation.
On the second day of the Annual Meeting, the Swiss delegation visited the Children's Clinical University Hospital, which is implementing the paediatric cancer care project. During the visit, the delegation learned about the work of the hospital’s Haemato-Oncology Unit, the Department of Pathology, and the Molecular Genetics Laboratory, and received updates on the progress and planned outcomes of the project.
