Press Advisories

6. 3. 2019 22:57

Prime minister Babiš presented the Czech Republic’s National Innovation Strategy to representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce

Andrej Babiš and Karel Havlíček at the American Chamber of Commerce on 6 March 2019.
Andrej Babiš and Karel Havlíček at the American Chamber of Commerce on 6 March 2019.
Czech prime minister Andrej Babiš discussed in Washington on Wednesday 6 March 2019 with representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce and the National Science Foundation and paid visit to the University of Maryland.

Prime minister Andrej Babiš started his schedule in the USA by paying a visit to the American Chamber of Commerce. Babiš met up with the representatives of a range of American companies which do business in the Czech Republic. For example, GE Aviation has developed a new engine and decided to base their manufacturing plant in the Czech Republic. This project should position the Czech Republic as a leading global aviation engine manufacturer.
 

“This is our task, for us to boost trading between our countries. Our trading has been growing each year. The United States are our sixth greatest business partner. In my opinion, this opens up a huge potential. We also discussed Europe because large companies are affected by some decisions adopted by the European Commission and the European Council, where we have our representatives. It was an open discussion,” said Babiš.
 

Discussing with the entrepreneurs, prime minister also introduced the Czech Republic’s national innovation strategy: The Country for the Future. “We presented out national investment strategy, the project the Czech Republic: The Country for the Future, which comprises several chapters, such as innovation, artificial intelligence projects, digitalisation and industry-university partnerships, to name just a few. Large global companies were attending that have created tens of thousands jobs in our country. I have the impression our presentation was received rather well. Some of these companies are represented by Czech managers, which is a very good sign. And they praised our strategy,” Babiš commented on the discussions when speaking to Czech press.
 

Prime minister also discussed with the representatives of the National Science Foundation“Great news for the Czech science. We presented our vision to this prestigious federal science agency and have agreed very concrete collaboration. A National Science Foundation mission will visit the Czech Republic very soon to prepare the spheres of priority for American co-funding of the Czech science,” said Babiš after the meeting.

Prime minister also paid visit to the University of Maryland to hear about the university’s artificial intelligence programme and its projects, such as Smart Cities, a project with collaborative input from the Czech Technical University in Prague. “Now we have agreed more collaboration with the University of Maryland. With Mr Havlíček we wish to make all artificial intelligence activities coordinated. We'd like to set up a centre in Prague. Europe will subsidise about four such centres. And Prague can provide excellent background,” said Babiš.

In the afternoon Czech prime minister accepted an invitation to visit the Central Intelligence Agency’s headquarters in Langley to meet the agency’s director Gina Haspel.

Andrej Babiš and his wife Monika will close their first day in the USA by visiting a basketball match between Washington Wizards and Dallas Mavericks, with Tomáš Satoranský, the only Czech player in the NBA, in Wizards’ team.

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