Latvian Ambassador Elita Kuzma submitted her letters of accreditation to US President Joe Biden on September 18, thus taking over as ambassador of Latvia to the United States, the LETA News Agency has learned from the Foreign Ministry.
The US and Latvia are strategic allies, and Latvia has always attached great importance to the role of the United States as a global player in efforts to protect the rule of law and democratic values.
Ambassador Kuzma thanked President Biden for his personal role and profound understanding of Transatlantic security issues, as well as his international leadership in countering Russia during its war against Ukraine.
The ambassador conveyed to Mr Biden greetings from Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics, noting that Mr Rinkevics was at the time in California, where he was seeking to promote further economic and bilateral co-operation with Latvia. President Biden commended Latvia and promised to continue US co-operation in terms of strengthening defence partnerships. The president also emphasised the commitment which Latvia and the United States share in terms of defending every square inch of NATO member state territory. Mr Biden also underscored the fact that Latvia and the US are friends, NATO allies, and close-standing partners in strengthening resilience and safeguarding peace and security.
President Biden lauded accomplishments in bilateral co-operation between Latvia and the United States, and he added that there is increasing collaboration between the two countries when it comes to bilateral economic growth and development.
Ambassador Kuzma is Latvia’s first female ambassador to the United States, which President Biden welcomed as evidence that Latvia and the United Sates share the promotion of equality and empowerment as key values.
Kuzma joined Latvia’s Foreign Service in 1992, first as an employee of the Economic Co-operation Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She has worked at the ministry’s Western European Division, later becoming director of the First Political Department and under state secretary at the First Political Director. Elita Kuzma has been ambassador as head of the Economic and Bilateral Relations Directorate, the director of the European Union directorate, and the head of state protocol at the Foreign Ministry.
Ms Kuzma has also amassed considerable professional experience during postings to Latvian embassies abroad. She has served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Republic of Austria, the Kingdom of Sweden, the Italian Republic, the Federal Republic of Germany and the Czech Republic. Ambassador Kuzma has also served as Latvia’s permanent representative to the Food and Agriculture Organisation.
As non-resident ambassador, Kuzma has also overseen relations with the Republic of Hungary, the Swiss Confederation, the Republic of Slovenia, the Republic of Slovakia, the Principality of Liechtenstein, the Republic of San Marino, the Republic of Malta, the Republic of Albania, the State of Kuwait, the Republic of Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Holy See, and the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem, Rhodes and Malta.
Elita Kuzma is a graduate of the Faculty of Finance and Trade of the University of Latvia and of the Institute of International Relations at the same institution of higher learning. She has received further education at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University in the United States, as well as the George C. Marshall European Centre for Security Studies in Germany.
Source: BNS
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