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“Next year Latvia, together with other countries represented here today, will celebrate the tenth anniversary of accession to the European Union. In this decade we have experienced both political and economic upsets, and they have reminded us that the EU is based on values. These values are difficult to strengthen but easy to lose. We must keep this notion, this historical experience, in mind when discussing our place in Europe and the future of the EU,” Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, emphasised in her opening address at the international conference Development Cooperation: The Baltic Response, which took place on 10 May in the main building of the Saeima.

In her address, the Speaker reminded the participants of the conference that in 2000 political leaders from around the world set the most ambitious development policy goals in history, marking 2015 as the reference year. “This will directly affect Latvia because the timing coincides with Latvia’s first presidency of the Council of the EU. At the moment, the priorities for the presidency are being defined and coordinated with the presidency trio. But one thing is clear – issues on development cooperation will be an important part of our presidency’s agenda,” Āboltiņa said in describing Latvia’s involvement.

Speaker Āboltiņa expressed hope that having overcome the crisis and seeing improvement in economic indicators, Latvia’s budget for development cooperation will increase. She also emphasised that Latvia is doing a great deal to compensate for the lack of financial aid by being active not only at the level of parliament and public administration but also at the level of non-governmental organisations and the private sector, which also play an essential part in development cooperation.

“Today development cooperation has become an important part of international cooperation. It has been driven by three forces – common values, national interests and international commitments. Development cooperation must be viewed as an interaction of these three elements because our common values dictate a moral obligation to act, but we also have to understand that the goals that have been set are directly linked to our national interests,” the Speaker of the Saeima highlighted in her address.

Āboltiņa stressed: “Passing on Latvia’s experience in reforms and European integration to partner countries in the Eastern Partnership region and Central Asia is not only our historical and moral obligation, but it is also in line with our interests and the commitments we have undertaken as an EU member state. Experience shows that Latvia’s knowledge and expertise are highly appreciated by our partner countries and they are in demand.” Furthermore, the Speaker of the Saeima also expressed gratification that Latvia’s experience can be of help not only to countries in the former Soviet bloc but also in places such as Ghana and South Sudan.

At the end of her address, the Speaker of the Saeima thanked the Baltic Assembly for its initiative during the Latvian presidency of the Baltic Assembly to organise a conference on development cooperation. “I am confident that the wide range of participants representing GUAM countries, Visegrad countries, Benelux countries, Baltic States and Nordic countries will ensure a comprehensive and creative exchange of opinions. I also hope that this conference will envision new cooperation projects in which we will be able to take pride in the future,” Āboltiņa said.

On Friday, 10 May, an international conference on Development Cooperation: The Baltic Response was held at the Saeima in order to facilitate discussions on development cooperation and to strengthen the role of the Baltic States in the EU’s development cooperation.

Photos from the conference are available at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/saeima/sets/72157633445749491/with/8724499667/
Video from the conference is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEo1nsdTC78


Saeima Press Service