On 28 February 2020, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs, delivered a speech to teachers and students at the National Defence University College of Information and Cyberspace, addressing global security challenges.
In his speech, Edgars Rinkēvičs drew attention to various security risks encountered with increasing frequency in the contemporary world, including challenges posed by hybrid threats, when, alongside military means and the threat of using them, various non-military instruments are applied, for instance, cyber-attacks, vast outreach campaigns, the spread of disinformation, economic pressure, as well as intelligence and security services operations.
Information technologies, which have a growing influence on political, economic and social processes, are being actively utilised in a malicious manner with the aim of undermining democratic and open societies and in opposition to the rules-based international order. In response to intensification of the hybrid threat and its manifestations, even greater attention is being paid to this question in the European Union and NATO, the Minister said. He added that although each country is responsible for boosting resilience, initiatives for strengthening resilience in national and collective security are also being developed at the EU and NATO. Therefore Latvia strongly advocates responsible state behaviour in cyberspace and the applicability of international law and norms in cyberspace. Malicious cyber activity threatens a free, open, stable and safe cyberspace. Recognising the global character of cyber threats, Latvia is interested in cooperating actively with its allies and partner countries to jointly strengthen the security of cyberspace and deter further cyber-attacks, the Latvian Foreign Minister underlined.
The Minister noted that cyber security in Latvia is an element which is part and parcel of a comprehensive national defence system, with cyber defence playing an even greater role given possible consequences of a cyber-attack on a state or society. Cyber security is a top priority in Latvia’s defence system while also being an area in which Latvia has demonstrated worthwhile achievements at the international level, Edgars Rinkēvičs stressed.