The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, is travelling to the United States. On 19–20 September, the Minister will participate in the American Latvian Association’s 75th Congress in Washington, and, on 21–23 September, she will participate in High-Level Week of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly (GA) in New York.
The ALA Congress is the organisation’s highest annual decision-making body, at which the organisation’s main objectives for the coming year are set. Discussions on Latvia’s national security, politics, culture and education are also on the agenda this year.
On 19 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will participate in a discussion on the topic “Latvia in the World – Foreign Policy Challenges and Opportunities” and will conclude the day with an address marking the 75th anniversary of the American Latvian Association. On 20 September, the Minister of Foreign Affairs will visit a Latvian centre in Rockville. During the visit, Baiba Braže will also meet with members of the Latvian diaspora, visiting the US Latvian Museum and the Latvian School in Washington, DC, as well as attending a service at the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church of Washington, DC.
On 21–23 September, Baiba Braže will participate in the High-Level Week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly. The overarching theme of the session is “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All”.
During Latvia’s participation in UN events, emphasis will be placed on Russia’s responsibility for the international crimes committed in Ukraine, strengthening the international order and the need for global governance reform, which align with the priorities Latvia has set for its work on the UN Security Council (SC). Latvia, together with its European allies, has requested that an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council be convened on the situation in Ukraine. The meeting will take place on 23 September, and Latvia will be represented by the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs.
During the 81st session of the UN General Assembly, Baiba Braže is scheduled to participate in and deliver speeches at several events, as well as hold bilateral meetings with foreign ministers from Central and South America, Africa and Asia.
Monday, 21 September
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs will co-chair an event organised by the European External Action Service on the threats posed by Belarus to regional and international security. The event will be attended by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and ministers from several countries.
- Baiba Braže will meet with: Khalilur Rahman, the newly elected President of the UN General Assembly; Badr Abdelatty, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Egypt; and Manuel Tovar Rivera, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica.
- The Minister will participate in an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers with the foreign ministers of Australia, India, Japan and the Republic of Korea.
- Latvia and Kuwait will host a working dinner for the foreign ministers of the 10 Elected members and 5 Incoming members of the UN Security Council (Elected 10 + Incoming 5).
Tuesday, 22 September
- The Minister will attend the official opening of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly.
- Baiba Braže will participate in an event organised by the European Union, France, Romania and Ukraine on global food security and the Black Sea.
- The Minister of Foreign Affairs will participate in a meeting of the foreign ministers of the Baltic and Nordic countries (NB8) with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Anita Anand.
- Baiba Braže will meet with: Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore; Francisco Pérez Mackenna, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Chile; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Wednesday, 23 September
- Baiba Braže, together with President Edgars Rinkēvičs, will attend the general debate of the UN General Assembly, where Edgars Rinkēvičs will deliver a speech. It will be broadcast live at approximately 18.00 Latvian time on UN Web TV.
- The Minister will participate in a joint meeting of ministers from the EU and the Latin American and Caribbean region, which will be chaired by Kaja Kallas, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
- The Minister will deliver a speech at the 6th Summit of the International Crimea Platform.
- Baiba Braže will participate in a high-level meeting on maritime security organised by Estonia, the Netherlands, Canada, Japan and the Philippines.
- The Minister will participate in the annual meeting of the UNGA Platform of Women Leaders.
- Baiba Braže will meet with Latvian start-ups and US partners to discuss technology and innovation.
Background information
- High-Level Week of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly is taking place in New York on 21–25 September.
- Latvia will be represented at High-Level Week events by President Edgars Rinkēvičs and Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže.
- With broad support from UN Member States, Latvia has been elected to the UN Security Council (2026–2027) for the first time in history.
- Latvia has put forward the following key priorities for the UN Security Council: (1) to safeguard a rules-based international order in accordance with the UN Charter, including achieving a just peace in Ukraine; (2) to find solutions to current security challenges (hybrid threats, cyberattacks, security risks related to artificial intelligence, disinformation, etc.); (3) to promote gender equality and advocate for the prevention of sexual violence in armed conflicts. Latvia’s cross-cutting priority is to improve the working methods of the UN Security Council.
