Meeting between the UN Secretary General and the President of Latvia was strongly focused on climate change challenges. Secretary General Guterres highlighted that the European Union (EU) continues to lead the global fight against climate change. President Levits confirmed that Latvia and eight other EU member states are calling for more ambitious climate policy. He also underlined that climate change needs to be tackled in a multilateral format which requires solidarity between all countries of the world, and the United Nations is the suitable format for global effort. President of Latvia also expressed his concern that not all countries share the same opinion.
Another issue discussed by the Secretary General Guterres and the President Levits was threats to democracy and fundamental rights. Secretary General outlined specific UN initiatives, including its hate speech initiative, and praised Latvia’s digital and cyber security expertise. President of Latvia assured that Latvia is ready to get actively involved in establishing of international digital regulatory framework.
President Levits reiterated the position of Latvia on the importance of strengthening the principles of rule of law in the international law and the need to apply sanctions against any country which violates such principles. President of Latvia pointed out that Latvia recognises the compulsory jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice and is ready to get fully involved in the international framework and strengthening of the rule of law. Such engagement would enable Latvia to defend against countries that violate their international obligations towards Latvia.
In conclusion, President Levits invited Secretary General to visit Latvia in 2020. “Next year the UN will celebrate 75 years since its founding in 1945. Due to occupation, Baltic countries were not able to become members of the newly founded organisation. Your visit on anniversary of the UN, 75 years after the end of the World War II, would be deeply symbolic,” said President Levits.
On his first day of the US visit, the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, met with the UN Youth delegates from Latvia Kristiāna Plāte, Oto Davidovs and Keita Alaide Dīcmane. President Levits praised Latvian youth for its role in national and international civic activities. He complimented their dedication, expertise and commitment which requires a great sense of responsibility.
President and delegates discussed youth perspective on climate change. Youth delegates stressed that it is not enough to draw the attention of the politicians to the problem, youth must also find ways of providing meaningful input in promotion of sustainability at practical level.
Kristiāna Plāte is an active leader of youth organisation ‘Māja’ (‘the House’), while Oto Davidovs is the founder of Global Shapers Riga hub, an initiative led by the World Economic Forum, and Keita Alaide Dīcmane is a student of New York University and an intern at Latvia’s permanent mission to the UN.
Meeting with the UN Secretary General António Manoel de Oliveira Guterres
Meeting with UN Youth delegates from Latvia
Working visit of the President of Latvia, Egils Levits, to the United States of America (GMT -4):
Monday, 23 September
9.30 – bilateral meeting with President of Croatia, HE Ms Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović
10.00 – UN Climate Action Summit
11.00 – bilateral meeting with President of Moldova, HE Mr Igor Dodon
11.30 – bilateral meeting with President of Austria, HE Dr. Alexander Van der Bellen
UN Climate Action Summit
14.45 – World Economic Forum High-level Round-table Discussion ‘A New Green Deal for Europe - Stepping Up Europe's Global Leadership Role on Climate and Green Growth’
18.15 – President and the First Lady Andra Levita attend the opening of the exhibition ‘Vija Celmiņš: To Fix the Image in Memory’ at The Met Breuer
Tuesday, 24 September
8.00 – President and the First Lady Andra Levita attend welcoming reception hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres
9.00 – Opening of the 74th UN General Assembly: Galvanizing multilateral efforts for poverty eradication, quality education, climate action and inclusion
11.45 – Treaty event Ceremony to deposit Declaration recognizing as compulsory the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice
12.45 – meeting with founder of the World Economic Forum, Professor Klaus Schwab
13.00 – State luncheon hosted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres
15.00 – Sustainable Development Goals Summit
17.15 – Address of the President of Latvia to the 74th UN General Assembly
19.00 – President of the First lady Andra Levita attend reception hosted by President of the United States of America, HE Mr Donald J. Trump, and the First Lady Melania Trump
Wednesday, 25 September
8.30 – meeting with representatives of Atlantic Council think tank
10.30 – Round-table discussion with students and scholarship recipients of Columbia University
15.00 – bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway, HE Ms Erna Solberg
16.00 – Sustainable Development Goals Summit
17.30 – bilateral meeting with President of Georgia, HE Ms Salome Zourabichvili
19.00 – President and the First Lady Andra Levita meet with American Latvians
Thursday, 26 September
9.00 – meeting with President of the National Committee on American Foreign Policy, Dr. George Schwab
15.00 – meeting with American Jewish organisations
Friday, 27 September
12.00 – meeting with international relations students of Princeton University
13.40 – meeting with professors of Princeton University and Latvia’s Honorary Consul John Medveckis
