On 19 November 2021, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, took part in the meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council (Development). For the first time in this format, an exchange of views took place between the USAID Administrator, Samantha Power, and development ministers on possible common strategic priorities in the field of development cooperation.
In a discussion with the USAID Administrator on common EU-US priorities, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica noted that the pandemic has also exposed the dire need to fight against the infodemic – not a traditional area for development aid. We increasingly see the exploitation of human suffering and despair for political gain; this further complicates the planning of development cooperation support, she added.
The Parliamentary Secretary underlined the efforts for reinforcing democracy and human rights and combating disinformation as a shared priority for the EU and the US. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica also pointed to the successful cooperation between Latvia and the US in Central Asia and the Eastern Partnership countries, especially in the training of young professionals, strengthening women’s rights and the development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
Another agenda item was the importance of water resources for the promotion of development, peace and stability, and an in-depth discussion on the EU’s support for the Central Asia region. Latvia has been providing support to Central Asia in the water resource sector since 2017 and fully supports the EU’s focus on water, climate and energy issues in the region.
Further on during the meeting, the ways for the EU to build its capacity for helping partner countries to ensure vaccination against COVID-19. The Council discussed developments in Ethiopia, Sudan and Afghanistan.
The Foreign Affairs Council in the configuration of ministers for development considers development cooperation and humanitarian aid matters. The meetings are chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.