INVESTORS IN MSK
belongs to a category of co-called emerging global
superpowers. My work in India was a challenge in thriving
within a highly competitive environment. If you cannot
properly differentiate yourself from other diplomatic
missions, and prove that your mission is truly something
attractive and interesting to your target country, your
proposal will likely end up lost in the saturation of
the local diplomatic corps. Economic diplomacy kept us
very busy in India. I personally led multiple missions of
European ambassadors in the North Eastern Union states
(referred to as the Seven Sisters), which were previously
largely omitted by other ambassadors, or traveled to
rather sporadically. These activities then helped open up
a path for us not only in terms of economic cooperation,
but other branches as well.
I am expecting the mission in Washington to present
a brand new experience as well. The USA is currently
the world’s largest superpower. The operation’s
backbone will be centered around the fields of
security (cooperation aimed towards Ukraine, Euroatlantic cooperation, NATO, cyber-security, etc.),
economic cooperation, including energetics, human
rights, and without a doubt deepening our partnership
in the development of new technologies, and finally,
collaboration between our universities. I believe that
I am entering the US at an opportune time, which
presents circumstances that would allow us to push
our bilateral relations to a yet higher level.
The USA currently has the largest
“Czech
community outside Czech
Republic itself.
”
A couple years ago, we celebrated
the 100th anniversary since the formation of
Czechoslovakia, which also officially marked
the beginning of our diplomatic relations with the US.
How did this relationship develop over the last century?
Over the last 100 years, our mutual relationship
underwent big changes. In the past, the US became
the target country of four big migration waves hailing
from, what was at the time, Czechoslovakia. This
sizable community still plays an important role in
mutual relations.
The USA currently has the largest Czech community
outside Czech Republic itself (which amounts to
around ⅔ of all the Czechs that live outside their home
country). The influence of Czech communities and
their supporters was undeniably important not only
during the formation of Czechoslovakia, but also
after the year 1989. This group not only included
Americans with Czech roots, but also influential allies
of the Czech Republic, who were knowledgeable in
the Czech regional context and helped accelerate
the involvement of Czech Republic in western
structures (namely NATO).
Bilateral relations reached a peak in the early 90s, right
after the Velvet Revolution and the election of Václav
Havel as president. This was a time of great progress,
during which the political and economic changes taking
place in central Europe offered new opportunities in
bilateral relations. It is precisely this period of mutual
cooperation that we would like to follow up on.
“
The field that I consider to hold the
most potential, however, is cooperation
in the sciences, research, and
development of new technologies.
”
What lies at the center of the USA’s importance
as our partner?
The US is a key partner and ally to us. Their role in, for
example, security cooperation is highly irreplaceable.
Furthermore, even their significance in regards to Europe
as a whole is ever growing. On the other hand, we also
have to face many challenges, including the necessity to
find a way to halt Russian aggression in Ukraine, securing
energetic stability for our region and so on.
The US is also Czech Republic’s largest export
market outside Europe. Last year, Czechia ended up
11th among all possible export outlets, with a total
value of 5.4 billion USD (roughly 116.5 billion CZK).
From 2010 to 2021, the value of Czech exports to the
US more than doubled. Artificial intelligence (nano
technologies, cybersecurity, ICT, electromobility
and autonomous vehicles), energetics, engineering,
transport infrastructure, health and pharmaceutical
industries, agriculture, the food industry and the video
game industry are among the economic fields that
show the most promise in terms of our cooperation.
Do you think that there is untapped potential
in Czech Republic’s cooperation with the US,
whether it be in economic relations or otherwise?
I see great potential in further expansion of mutual
trade exchange and investment. The field that I consider
to hold the most potential, however, is cooperation
in the sciences, research, and development of new
technologies. Czech Republic’s economy is primarily
reliant on exports. Therefore, if we want to maintain our
success and competitiveness, we need to increase our
investment into the development of new technologies,
this includes both the civilian sector and the defense
industry sector. I am convinced that cooperation with
the USA in this field has immense potential.
Cooperation between the US embassy in Prague and
the Ostrava City Library resulted in the successful
project called American Center Ostrava. This is
a cultural and language center that helps familiarize
the wider public with the US. What is your assessment
of similar efforts?
I believe that similar activities are very positive, as they
bridge informational and cultural barriers between
both countries. One of the prerequisites to our region’s
success in the United States is the ability to maintain
the attention of the American public, and cooperation
between universities, libraries, science centers, etc.
while hosting big cultural events can be of great service
in this area.
Your excellency, thank you for the interview.
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