Latvian professionals working for international organisations – a valuable resource for Latvia

On 5 March 2026, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a seminar, titled International Experience in State Administration, highlighting the challenges and opportunities faced by Latvian professionals who have worked for international organisations and are returning to work in Latvia. The aim of the seminar was to explore the experiences of highly qualified Latvian professionals shifting from work in international organisations to work in state administration in Latvia, and to emphasise the need for a more open selection process for candidates with experience in international organisations.

The seminar was opened by the Under-Secretary of State – Director of Administration of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Māris Selga. The Deputy Director of the Human Resources Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ieva Cēsniece, shared the experience of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with employees returning to the Ministry after working for international organisations. The Head of Diversity and Inclusion Practice in the Baltics at PricewaterhouseCoopers, social anthropologist Agnese Cimdiņa, who took part in the panel discussion, encouraged state administration institutions to give due consideration to international experience during recruitment and to people’s motivation to return: “People do not return to Latvia to become wealthier. Values and a sense of belonging are more important to them.”

The participants of the event – senior officials and staff of state institutions and human resources departments – highlighted that experience acquired by professionals in international organisations contributes significantly to improving and strengthening the quality of state administration and should be treated as equivalent to public administration experience, therefore, it is necessary to create flexible mechanisms for engaging potential employees. International experience also allows Latvia to implement and defend its national interests more effectively in the fields of security, economy, and foreign policy.

The seminar was organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in cooperation with the State Chancellery. Just one day before the seminar, on 4 March 2026, a contact point for individuals working for international organisations was opened at the State Chancellery. The contact point will offer centralised information and support to individuals pursuing careers in state administration, including representatives of the diaspora, and will provide a structured guide for careers in European Union institutions and, in the future, other international institutions. In this way, the State Chancellery will serve as a bridge linking interested individuals to career opportunities in state administration, as well as in European Union and other international institutions, while also offering information, support, and a career development roadmap in one place.

The seminar was one of the outcomes of the annual forum that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been organising since 2022. Latvian professionals with experience in international organisations are brought together to strengthen cooperation with Latvia, promote the exchange of expertise, and build a sustainable dialogue between diaspora experts and the state administration. On 7 August 2026, Riga will host the Fifth Forum of Latvian Professionals Working for International Organisations.