On 15 March 2021, the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, took part in the informal videoconference of the European Union’s Foreign Affairs Ministers and Home Affairs Ministers.
Representatives from Member States discussed the external dimension of the EU’s migration policy. Attention was devoted to building mutually-beneficial partnerships with countries of origin and countries of transit, and the aspects of coordination among EU institutions and Member States in this area.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica emphasised that the EU should work intensively to increase effectiveness of the return policy. “We need new, binding agreements on readmission with countries of origin. Only together, as the EU, are we strong enough to negotiate conditions for readmission with third countries,” the Parliamentary Secretary noted.
Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica underlined the importance of strengthening EU development cooperation policy. By addressing the needs of partner countries based on tailor-made partnerships it is possible to boost their social and economic development, she said.
“We must stay alert about what is happening on the EU’s external borders. Latvia is closely following developments in Belarus as they might affect Latvia and our closest neighbours in terms of migration,” Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica noted.
Background information
The joint meeting of the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council and the Justice and Home Affairs Council was co-chaired by the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Minister of Interior of Portugal, the country holding the Presidency of the Council of the EU.