On 9 November 2023, the Consultative Board for Development Cooperation Policy, convened for a meeting. Under the chairmanship of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Pelšs, the Board evaluated what had been achieved in Latvia’s development cooperation policy and reviewed the Development Cooperation Policy Plan for 2024–2027 (hereinafter – the Plan).
The meeting was opened by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Krišjānis Kariņš. In his address to the participants, the Minister pointed out that in response to the growing needs, the importance of Latvia’s development cooperation was increasing. Krišjānis Kariņš underlined that scaling up of the development cooperation policy was one of Latvia’s priorities in its foreign policy, which is to be gradually allocated increasingly higher funding. This will make it possible to put the expertise available in Latvia to better use and bring new opportunities for civil society organisations, the private sector and Latvia’s public authorities.
At the meeting, Andris Pelšs informed those present about the new Plan devised by of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and thanked them for support and involvement in its drafting. The State Secretary noted that the thematic and geographical priorities set out in the Development Cooperation Policy Guidelines for 2021–2027 have been retained in the Plan. “One of the main objectives of the Plan is to increase the amount of co-financing from other donors mobilised for projects implemented by Latvian promoters. In particular, we would like to support and promote the transfer of Latvia’s digitalisation experience to partner countries, which would open up the possibility for those countries to take over Latvia’s best practice and standards in the field, as well as creating new opportunities for cooperation with companies from Latvia’s ICT sector,” the State Secretary emphasized.
The Consultative Board supported, at the concept level, the distribution of funding proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and moving ahead with the approval of the Plan at the Cabinet. The Plan envisages the allocation of EUR 1,863,813 annually for the next four years towards the implementation of bilateral development cooperation.
As Andris Pelšs briefed those present on work accomplished in 2023, he noted that Ukraine remained a geographical priority. Support provided by Latvia to Ukraine includes assistance to victims of Russia’s aggression, to the health sector, and in the fields of good governance, business and agriculture. Reconstruction of housing and social infrastructure has been carried out in the Chernihiv region. Support also continues for the EU’s Eastern Partnership and Central Asian countries, and development cooperation activities have been expanded in Africa.
The State Secretary then updated the Consultative Board on the reinforcement of the Development Cooperation Agency of Latvia, noting that the Cabinet Regulations on support provided by the Development Cooperation Agency for participation in development cooperation projects had just been approved.
Background information
The Consultative Board for Development Cooperation Policy is an advisory institution established to promote an active and responsible involvement of Latvia in the formulation and implementation of the European Union’s development cooperation policy, to enhance the role of Latvia as a bilateral donor, to raise awareness among the general public of the goals and policy of development cooperation, and to assist with its implementation. The Consultative Board, pursuant to its Statute, brings together experts from public administration institutions and civil society organisations.
The Development Cooperation Agency of Latvia was established in 2022 through expanding the functions of the Central Finance and Contracting Agency. The main task of the new agency is to promote participation of the Latvian development cooperation project promoters in projects financed by foreign international donors. The process of accreditation of the Agency with the European Commission is under way so that Latvia could assume the role of the lead country in the absorption of the European Union’s development cooperation funding. The accreditation process is expected to be completed next year.
