Representatives from Foreign Ministry and U.S. National Democratic Institute discuss co-operation opportunities [09 Dec 2008]

On 9 December, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis, political director Peteris Ustubs, and Under-Secretary of State, Maija Manika, met with Laura Jewett, Regional Director for Eurasia of the U.S. National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), and the institute's regional directors from Moldova, Ukraine, Georgia, Belarus and Russia. Also taking part in the meeting were other representatives from the Foreign Ministry, the Saeima and non-governmental organisations. 

During the visit, the NDI representatives were introduced to the development co-operation projects implemented by Latvia in its priority recipient countries – Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine, as well as in Belarus. At the meeting, the Foreign Ministry officials considered opportunities for working together with the NDI in the principal co-operation fields in the EU neighbouring regions: the facilitation of the reform process and capacity building in public administration and the economy, the promotion of democracy and strengthening civil society, the solution of environmental problems as well as reforms in the social and education sectors.

At the Foreign Ministry, the NDI representatives met with representatives from Latvijas Platforma attīstības sadarbībai – LAPAS (Latvia's platform for development co-operation) and its member organisations, as well as with the Soros Foundation Latvia and also LATO - the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation.

The operation of the U.S. National Democratic Institute is based on the aim to strengthen and advance democratic values in the world. To bring the democratic values into practice, the institute has opened its representation offices in more than 70 countries in all the regions of the world.

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