On 18 February 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a draft order on the participation of a civilian expert Edmunds Āķītis in the European Union Partnership Mission in Moldova (EUPM) as from 15 March 2025.
Edmunds Āķītis is the first Latvian civilian expert approved for EUPM Moldova, and he will take up the duties of an advisor on crisis management.
EUPM Moldova was established in 2023 and its mandate includes assistance in enhancing the resilience of Moldova’s security sector to security threats, especially hybrid threat, cyber-attacks and disinformation.
The EU civilian missions are part of its Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP). The EU currently has 13 civilian missions operating in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. Latvia continues its active participation in the EU’s civilian missions thereby strengthening peace and security on an international scale.
Candidates for EU missions are selected by the European External Action Service (EEAS). The participation of Latvian civilian experts posted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to international missions and operations is set out in the Cabinet Regulation No 598 of 22 September 2020, “Procedures for sending a civilian expert for participation in an international mission or operation”. Those interested in joining international missions and operations 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.