On 29 October 2024, the Ambassador-at-Large for Global and Multilateral Affairs, Andrejs Pildegovičs, represented the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia in the Riga Security Forum 2024 with the inaugural podcast episode, “UN in a Fractured World: Relevance, Reform and Resilience”. This episode examined the UN’s relevance in today’s world, the urgent need for institutional reforms, and how the organization can build resilience against emerging threats like climate change and cyber security. The conversation also included insights on Latvia’s candidacy for an elected seat on the UNSC (2026-2027), showcasing how new and smaller member states can contribute to global security, development and diplomacy.
Ambassador Pildegovičs engaged in conversation with Gunda Reire, Head of the Chancery of the President of Latvia and Director of the Center for International Studies, and moderator Uģis Lībietis, Head of the Latvian Radio News Service and Researcher at the Latvian Institute of International Affairs. Ambassador Pildegovičs stressed Latvia’s readiness to take up additional responsibility to international peace and security, protection of international law, as well as to advance reform and reinvigoration of the UN system.
The discussion was organised as part of a public diplomacy programme in support of the campaign of Latvia’s candidacy for the UN Security Council. The campaign aims to ensure Latvia’s successful election to the 2025 UN Security Council for the period 2026–2027, where Latvia is a first-time candidate for an elected seat. Its motto – Together for Peace and Resilience. A seat in the UN Security Council would be one of Latvia’s most important tools for pursuing and defending its foreign policy interests, and would further expand Latvia’s international cooperation, contributing to world peace and resilience.
Riga Security Forum
The Riga Security Forum is an annual event, which aims to gather key international policymakers, industry leaders, and military and civilian experts to discuss events, trends, opportunities, and challenges lying ahead for the international community. From October till December, discussions will be released in several podcast episodes in audio and video format, both in English and Latvian, and will be available on the project website at www.rigasecurityforum.liia.lv, on the social media accounts of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA), as well as YouTube, Spotify, and Apple Podcast platforms.
RDF'24: Episode 1, participating A. Pildegovičs: