RIGA, April 9 (LETA) - Mikael Frisell, Director General for the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency, will visit Riga today to discuss bilateral cooperation, LETA was told at the Swedish Embassy in Latvia.

This will be Frisell's first visit to Latvia.

During the visit, Frisell will meet with representatives of the Crisis Management Center, Interior Minister Rihards Kozlovskis (New Unity), and Defense Minister Andris Spruds (Progressives), as well as other key partners and stakeholders.

The talks will focus on issues of mutual interest and on strengthening bilateral cooperation in light of changing risks and challenges.

The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency is responsible for civil protection, strengthening civil preparedness, crisis management, and promoting societal resilience.

Sweden's comprehensive defense concept is based on a whole-of-society approach, combining civilian preparedness and military defense, and involving public authorities, municipalities, businesses, and citizens in building national resilience. The agency also distributes an information booklet providing Swedish citizens with guidelines for dealing with a crisis.

Swedish-Latvian cooperation in the field of comprehensive defense has expanded significantly in recent years.

The visit confirms the close partnership between the two countries in addressing common security and resilience challenges and underlines the shared understanding of the importance of close international cooperation in today's complex security environment.

Latvia and Sweden are NATO allies, and we need to jointly assess the deteriorating security situation in the Baltic Sea region. Latvia is an important cooperation partner for us in the region. Closer cooperation in the Baltic Sea region is needed to be prepared for all types of threats, from crisis to heightened alert and war. I look forward to visiting Riga to better understand how Latvia, including its business environment, contributes to civil protection and societal resilience, said Frisell.