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On Tuesday, 18 August 2026, the Minister of Foreign Affairs opened the High-Level Forum of the Supreme Audit Institutions of the EU’s Eastern Partnership and Uzbekistan. The Minister emphasised Latvia’s long-term support for Ukraine, Moldova, Armenia, and Uzbekistan, and stated that strong and well-governed EU Eastern Partnership countries are important for European security and stability.
The Minister emphasised that support for national oversight institutions in Latvia’s partner countries is not only a practical long-term priority of development cooperation but also a direct reflection of Latvia’s foreign policy efforts to promote good governance, security, and public trust in public administration as a whole. Baiba Braže noted that Latvia’s experience in public administration reforms, the EU integration process, and the implementation of international standards allows it to share its practices with partner countries. Good governance, effective government auditing, and oversight not only strengthen government institutions but also help attract investment and promote economic growth.
The Minister paid particular attention to the integration of Ukraine and Moldova into the European Union, congratulating both countries on the launch of EU accession negotiations. She emphasised that the pace of reforms must not slow down and that future progress will be determined by the quality and consistency of reforms, particularly in the area of the rule of law. Strengthening public financial management and external audit is also essential for the implementation of the EU’s reform and growth plans.
At the same time, the Minister reaffirmed Latvia’s support for closer relations between the EU and Central Asia, emphasising Uzbekistan’s importance for regional stability, connectivity, and trade, as well as support for Uzbekistan’s reforms to promote good governance, efficiency, and transparency.
Since 2016, the State Audit Office has been implementing the development cooperation project “Strengthening the Capacity of the Supreme Audit Institutions of the EU’s Eastern Partnership Countries and Uzbekistan in the Process of Integrating International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI).”
The goal of the project is to strengthen the capacity of the supreme audit institutions (SAIs) of the EU’s Eastern neighbouring countries and Uzbekistan in the process of integrating international standards. Over the past ten years, the project has evolved from individual training sessions on the application of ISSAI to a long-term institutional partnership. In the cases of Moldova and Ukraine, Latvia’s expertise and support are directly linked to EU accession requirements, while in the case of Uzbekistan, cooperation has been strengthened through a bilateral cooperation agreement that includes an action plan for 2026–2028. Cooperation with Armenia within the framework of the project began in 2025, the sustainability of which is confirmed by the fact that Armenia’s SAI has included SAO support in its strategic development plan.