On 20 September 2022, the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft order on the posting of a civilian expert Rudīte Bilsena to the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) as from 1 October this year.
Rudīte Bilsena has been approved for the post of senior adviser on counter terrorism. Following her appointment, there will be seven civilian experts from Latvia working on EUAM. Currently, 24 EU Member States are contributing to the mission with more than 1200 experts.
The EU Advisory Mission Ukraine was established in 2014 to provide advisory support for Ukraine in the field of civil security sector reforms. The mission provides strategic advice to the Ukrainian authorities both at the central and regional level on the development of civilian security strategies and hands-on support for the implementation of specific reform measures. The mandate of the mission was amended twice in 2022 in order to provide support for Ukrainian border guard and customs services and police in the coordination of humanitarian aid and refugee flows, as well as for the documentation of war crimes perpetrated by the Russian Federation in Ukraine.
Candidates for EU missions are selected by the European External Action Service (EEAS). The participation of civilian experts posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in international missions and operations is set out in the Cabinet Regulations No. 598 of 22 September 2020, “Procedures for sending a civilian expert for participation in an international mission or operation”.
Those interested in taking part in international missions and operation as civilian experts are invited to contact the Global Security Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by e-mail: civilie.eksperti@mfa.gov.lv.