On March 17 Foreign Minister Aurelia Frick visited Washington for meetings focused on Liechtenstein-US relations as well as on broadening Liechtenstein's partnership in the Americas.
Foreign Minister Frick met with Bruce Andrews, Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Commerce. They discussed Liechtenstein-US trade and commerce and how it plays an important role in the transatlantic market. Liechtenstein companies employ nearly 4000 Americans and are integral players in the supply chain of goods in specific US sectors such as construction, automotive, dentistry, agriculture, audio-visual and coating. Yearly there is roughly $1 billion in trade and commerce between Liechtenstein and the US. Against Liechtenstein's population of just over 37,000 this is a significant amount. In addition, as Liechtenstein is not a member of the European Union the EU-US negotiations for a Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) are of great interest to Liechtenstein as such an agreement would significantly affect trade in the transatlantic market.
Minister Frick then met with Senator Roger Wicker of Mississippi who also serves as Co-Chair of the US Joint Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe. They discussed the Liechtenstein and US engagement within the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in areas such as Ukraine and Europe's migration crisis.
In highlighting Liechtenstein's foreign policy focus on Women, Peace and Security, Foreign Minister Frick gave the keynote speech at a panel discussion titled “Gender, Peace and Security” at the Organization of American States (OAS). In 2014 Liechtenstein became a Permanent Observer to the OAS. Foreign Minister Frick stressed the importance of prevention as the most reliable tool against violence, and informed that Liechtenstein had launched a code of conduct for the UN Security Council in regards to mass crimes. While visiting the OAS, Minister Frick also met with Ambassador Nestor Mendez, the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, and Ambassador Carmen Moreno, Executive Secretary of the Inter-American Commission of Women, where they discussed the OAS's engagement on gender issues, specifically ways to foster political and economic empowerment of women.
Foreign Minister Frick’s visit in Washington concluded with an event at the Embassy of Liechtenstein where five students of the International Music Academy Liechtenstein gave a brief performance. The students were in the city in order to attend a leadership seminar from March 13 – 21, which was sponsored by the Ryuji Ueno Foundation in Washington.