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On 26 May 2025, in Brussels, Belgium, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Artjoms Uršuļskis participated in the meeting of the European Union (EU) Foreign Affairs Council in its Development configuration addressing the topics of financing for development, the EU-Africa relations, support for Ukraine’s resilience, the future of EU development cooperation with a view to the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework, which will take effect when the current budget period ends in 2027.
“Our relations with partners must be rooted in our values and principles, while the EU’s support must also be in line with its strategic interests. In order to boost security situation in the EU, it is essential that we provide support to our partners, in particular, to the EU Eastern Partnership countries, which are facing security threats posed by Russia,” Artjoms Uršuļskis noted in his remarks to his colleagues.
One of the agenda highlights at the meeting was a discussion on development financing ahead of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) in Seville, Spain. In their exchange, Member States reaffirmed the EU’s support for the system of multilateral development financing, its reform, and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals setting out the priorities of global development cooperation until 2030. Member States also pointed out that a more active communication with partner countries is needed about the EU’s contribution to advancing global development.
The Parliamentary Secretary also underlined Latvia’s priorities within the EU development cooperation policy – support for good governance, the rule of law, reform, resilience and security, civil society, independent media, and the fight against disinformation, especially in the Eastern Partnership countries.
After the meeting, Artjoms Uršuļskis attended an opening ceremony for the EU support programme for Latin America and the Caribbean organised by EU Commissioner for International Partnerships, Jozef Síkela. The objective of the programme is to provide the EU’s support for the promotion of inclusive societies in partner countries in the region.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council in its Development configuration deals with the topics High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Kaja Kallas.
The 4th International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4) will take place from 30 June to 3 July 2025 in Seville, Spain. The event aims at reviewing the current global architecture of sustainable development financing to ensure sufficient funds for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Such conferences are held once in a decade, and the previous conference took place in 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.