From 23 to 27 January 2023, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will host the annual meeting of heads of Latvia’s diplomatic missions abroad and Latvian Ambassadors residing in Riga, which will feature discussions on the priorities and current tasks of the Foreign Service.
The meeting will be opened by Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš and Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkēvičs. The Ambassadors will meet with the President of Latvia, Egils Levits; the Speaker of the Saeima (Latvian Parliament), Edvards Smiltēns; the Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee at the Saeima, Rihards Kols; the Chair of the European Affairs Committee, Andris Sprūds; the Chair of the Defence, Internal Affairs and Corruption Prevention Committee, Raimonds Bergmanis; and the Chair of the National Security Committee, Jānis Dombrava.
The Ambassadors will discuss latest developments in foreign and security policy with the Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, and topics on NATO’s agenda – with the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Baiba Braže. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Finland, Pekka Olavi Haavisto, will address the Ambassadors about security in the Baltic Sea region.
Attention will also be focused on the policy of the European Union. The Ambassadors intend to exchange views on EU-related matters with the Secretary General of the European Commission, Ilze Juhansone. Latvia’s opportunities for absorbing EU funds will be discussed with the Director for the Middle East, Asia and Pacific in the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Pēteris Ustubs, and the Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Moldova, Jānis Mažeiks.
Sector-specific policy issues will be discussed with the Minister of Economy, Ilze Indriksone; the Minister of Climate and Energy, Raimonds Čudars; the Minister of Environmental Protection and Regional Development, Māris Sprindžuks; the Minister of Justice, Inese Lībiņa-Egnere; the Adviser to the Council of the Bank of Latvia, Andris Strazds; the Chairman of the Board of AS Latvenergo, Mārtiņš Čakste; and the Director of the Investment and Development Agency of Latvia, Kaspars Rožkalns.
Other topics to be addressed include Latvia’s candidacy for the elections to the United Nations Security Council, and questions of current importance for diaspora policy and the consular sector.
On 23 January, the Ambassadors will visit companies SIA Mikrotīkls, SIA Latvijas Mobilais, and SIA Atlas Aerospace.
For the attention of the media
At 10.15 on Tuesday, 24 January – the Ambassadors’ group photo with the Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš. Media representatives are required to apply in advance for a photo or video coverage of the event at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs by writing to: media@mfa.gov.lv .
Please register your participation before 16.00 on 23 January.
Members of the media who wish to take individual interviews from any of the ambassadors are requested to contact the MFA Press Secretary Diāna Eglīte at e-mail media@mfa.gov.lv or by tel. 67016171 or 26136262.