International Organizations

Latvia has always supported effective, transparent and accountable international organizations in order to promote multilateral solutions to common problems. Membership in international organizations is also a tool for strengthening independence, security and sustainable development of Latvia.

Participation and advocacy of Latvia’s national interests in the international organizations is ensured by diplomatic missions of Latvia: Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York, Geneva and Vienna, to the Food and Agriculture Organization, to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, to the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and to the Council of Europe.

Latvia at the United Nations (UN)

Latvia became a member of the UN on 17 September 1991. The UN was founded in 1945 to maintain international peace and security, to develop friendly relations among nations, to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems and to be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations. Currently the UN comprises 193 Member States. More

Latvia in the elected UN system bodies

Currently Latvia has been elected as a member to the UN Economic and Social Council, to the Sustainable Development Commission and to the Commission on Science and Technology for Development. More

Candidatures of Latvia

Broader representation in the international organizations is a prerequisite for the implementation of interests of Latvia’s foreign policy. Currently Latvia has presented several candidatures in the elections of international organizations. More

Statements at the UN General Assembly

Heads of State and Government and Ministers of Foreign Affairs gather every year in September in New York to participate in the General Debate of the regular session of the General Assembly. The statements of President of Latvia reflect the priorities of Latvian foreign policy in the UN agenda. More

Latvia and the UN Reforms

Changing international system requires also its actors to adopt, including international organizations, in order to adequately address the global challenges of the 21st century. Number of reforms has been implemented/introduced/enforced in order to strengthening the UN – establishment of new structures and advancement of working methods, still reforms of the UN remains in the agenda. More

 

Latvia - NATO

Latvia has its security policy roots in the membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the member states of which share common values and the awareness that security co-operation is the most effective way of promoting security in their own countries and in the Euro-Atlantic area as a whole. Jointly with other Allies, Latvia takes part in NATO-led international operations. More.

 

Latvia and the World Trade Organisation (WTO)

The WTO is an international organization and a forum of multilateral negotiations of its Members on global trade liberalization rules, their administration and application. Mainly, the WTO system is understood as the set of external trade rules or "traffic rules" in external trade, which all Members must follow. More.