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Focus on green transition and AI as Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell visits California with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel
Published
The visit to California will take place on 19–22 February together with Their Royal Highnesses Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel. A business delegation led by the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences in cooperation with Business Sweden will also take part. Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel’s official visit is taking place at the request of the Government. The aim is to broaden and develop relations with California in the areas of innovation, green transition and emerging technologies, with a focus on artificial intelligence (AI). The new Swedish Consulate-General in San Francisco will also be inaugurated in connection with the visit.
“California is the world’s fifth-largest economy and a hub of technological innovation and research. Many Swedish businesses are already there, and it’s time for Sweden as a country to have a presence there too. Our interests in this state are strong and growing. Just like Sweden, California has long been at the forefront of the green transition, and with the new Consulate-General, our opportunities to promote contacts, trade and investment will further increase,” says Mr Forssell.
The Consulate-General in San Francisco opened on 1 January 2024 but will be officially inaugurated on 20 February. It enhances Sweden’s presence on the west coast of the United States and thus the opportunities to conduct more active promotion of trade and of the image of Sweden, primarily in the areas of green transition and new emerging technologies. It also improves the possibilities to provide consular support to Swedish citizens.
Mr Forssell, together with Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel, will meet with Governor of California Gavin Newsom, and a cooperation agreement on promoting the green transition will be signed. In addition, the development of AI will be discussed on visits to tech giants OpenAI, Intel, NVIDIA and Google, as well as to Stanford University. The green transition and the business sector’s key role will be a central theme of the visit.
Press contact
Press Secretary to Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Johan Forssell
Phone (switchboard) +46 8 405 10 00
Facts
With nearly 40 million inhabitants, California is one of the world’s largest economies. The state has long played an important role for technological innovation, green transition, industrial development and AI, including on a global scale. There are currently more than 100 Swedish businesses represented in California, creating upwards of 44 000 jobs.
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