Ukraine has been a partner country to Latvia in development cooperation since 2007. In 2014, Ukraine became the main beneficiary of Latvia’s support in its development cooperation policy. In 2016, more than 40% of bilateral development cooperation funding allocated to the Latvian Foreign Ministry was invested in Ukraine’s security and development. Priority areas of cooperation cover good governance and strengthening the rule of law, support for building a democratic civil society, regional development, development of the education sector, financial decentralisation and territorial cooperation, agricultural development and boosting export capacity.
Latvia’s support for the development of Ukraine totalled ca. 440 000 EUR in 2016 (520 000 EUR in 2015 and 490 000 EUR in 2014).
Latvia will continue providing support for Ukraine in the implementation of reforms in 2016 through new development cooperation projects in the following priority areas: good governance and strengthening the rule of law; support for the development of democratic and civil society; regional development; financial decentralisation and territorial cooperation; and the development of the agricultural sector.
The implementation of long-term development cooperation projects will also continue in 2016, including projects on countering corruption and agriculture that have received funding from other donors. There are also plans to allocate funds for scholarships to Ukrainian students at the University of Latvia.
Humanitarian Assistance
To address the consequences of the armed conflict, Latvia has considerably increased humanitarian aid to Ukraine. Aid was offered both to purchase food and children’s goods, supply generators, help internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine and ensure medical treatment in Latvia for persons injured in Ukraine. Read more about Latvia’s humanitarian aid to Ukraine in 2014-2015.
Latvia’s Expertise in International Missions in Ukraine
Latvia's participation in a group of humanitarian assistance experts organised by DG ECHO
A group of experts from Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia organised and financed by the EC Directorate General for Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO) visited Ukraine from 16 October to 13 November 2014 and offered advice to their Ukrainian colleagues. EU experts were assisting Ukrainian authorities with evaluation of technical and institutional capabilities at the temporary accommodation facilities for the internally displaced persons and in carrying out a needs assessment, which is essential in preparing for winter weather. Latvia was represented in the group by Major Andris Krots, Chief of the Call Processing and Resource Management Division at the Board of Control and Operations of the State Firefighting and Rescue Service of Latvia.
Latvia's participation in the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission in Ukraine
On 12 March 2015, the mandate of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission was extended to 31 March 2016. Eight experts from Latvia are currently serving on this mission, including in the Luhansk region and the Donetsk region. In 2014, Latvia made voluntary contributions to this mission of EUR 45,000. In 2015, this amount rose to EUR 52,000.
Latvia's participation in the EU Advisory Mission
The European Union Advisory Mission for Civilian Security Sector Reform in Ukraine (EUAM Ukraine) was deployed on 1 December 2014. EUAM provides advisory support in the field of civil security sector reforms, including corruption prevention, strategic communications, human rights and gender equality. The mission currently comprises 86 experts from 22 Member States. In 2015, Latvia sent two experts to EUAM. One Latvian expert is now working for the mission.
Latvia's participation in the EU advisory mission for civil protection
Two representatives from Latvia – Jānis Grīnbergs, Chief of the Operations Management Division at the Board of Control and Operations of the State Firefighting and Rescue Service of Latvia as Head of Mission, and Edmunds Āķītis, a representative from the Emergency Response Coordination Centre – participated in the EU's advisory mission for civil protection, which lasted from 22 March to 22 April 2015.