On 9 January 2023, the Cabinet of Ministers of Latvia adopted a draft order on the posting of a civilian expert, Elizabete Elīna Vizgunova-Vikmane, to the European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine).
Elizabete Elīna Vizgunova-Vikmane has been approved for the post of Executive Officer to COS and she is taking up her duties on 29 January. Four civilian experts from Latvia will now be working on the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine. 25 EU Member States are currently taking part in the mission with 154 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 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 mission also offers advice on the reorganisation and restructuring of agencies in Ukraine’s civilian security sector. In 2022, amendments were adopted to the mission mandate providing for support to Ukrainian border guards, customs authorities and police in coordinating humanitarian aid and refugee flows, as well as support for documenting Russia’s war crimes.
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 expert are invited to contact the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at e-mail: civilie.eksperti@mfa.gov.lv.