For the eight time, Rīga became the setting for Northern Europe’s leading foreign and security policy forum, The Rīga Conference 2013.

This year’s discussions focused on transatlantic defence, economic and security challenges faced by the EU and NATO, policy priorities of the Central Asian countries, the continuity and vitality of the Eastern Partnership, and partnership with Russia. From a global perspective, we considered the changing influence and evolving relations of the European Union and assess what can be done now and in the future to facilitate Euro-Atlantic dynamism and prosperity.

Creating the right environment to maintain and reinforce Trans-Atlantic prosperity through the use of shared values is the right way to redress the imbalance and thereby strengthen defence capabilities. And this is what The Rīga Conference 2013 was all about. 2 days, 6 discussion panels, 3 night owl sessions, several informal receptions are only a glimpse of what was delivered at this year’s Rīga Conference, an event for distinguished decision makers from across the world to seek sustainable solutions for emerging global issues.

Long list of prominent speakers at the Riga Conference 2013 testifies conference importance and international recognition as one of the high ranked events in the transatlantic security calendars. Some of the speakers were: Toomas Hendrik Ilves, President of Estonia, Valdis Dombrovskis, Prime Minister of Latvia, Bidzina Ivanishvili, Prime Minister of Georgia, Pieter De Crem, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of Belgium,  Carl Bildt, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Iulian Groza, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration of Moldova, Alena Kupchyna, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, NATO’s Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, Philip Hammond, Secretary of State for Defense, United Kingdom, Elena Bryan, Senior Trade Representative at U.S. Mission to the EU, Lt.Gen. David R. Hogg, U.S. Military Representative to NATO, etc.

The Young Diplomacy Professional Forum (YDPF) for young professionals and future leaders was organized, engaging them in the debates and discussions of the Riga Conference 2013 through comprehensive parallel discussions on the most pressing questions of the regional and global foreign policy and security agenda, in workshops and debates with experienced leaders. This year’s YDPF gathered 60 participants from 30 countries.

Topics that were discussed are: NATO Partnerships: Transformation, Challenges and Future Outlook, Women in Action: Integration of a Gender Perspective in the International Agenda, Eastern Partnership from Vilnius to Riga and Way Ahead, Strategic Outlook of the EU, Afghanistan after 2014 and Regional Powers etc.
Some of the speakers at the YDPF were: Janis Sarts, State Secretary of the Ministry of Defense of Latvia, Thomas Melia, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor, U.S. Department of State, Batu Kutelia, Deputy Secretary of National Security Council from Georgia, Damon Wilson, Executive Vice President of the Atlantic Council of the U.S., Irene Fellin, Advisor for Women, Peace and Security, NATO, Paige Alexander, Assistant Administrator of the Bureau for Europe and Euroasia, USAID, Žaneta Ozolina, Professor at the University of Latvia, Vice-Chairman of the Board, Latvian Transatlantic Organization, Archana Upadhyay, Assistant Professor, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India etc.

On behalf of the Euro - Atlantic Council of Macedonia, Mr. Ilija Djugumanov, president of YATA Macedonia and VP for Public Diplomacy of YATA International participated at the 3rd Young Diplomacy Professional Forum and 8th annual Riga Conference which were held September, 6-7, 2013.
 


The event was organised jointly by the Latvian Transatlantic Organisation, the Latvian Ministry of Defence, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia and offered a unique opportunity for constructive dialogue on international security issues between leading global leaders.