About the Latvian Institute of International Affairs

According to its statutes, the aim of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) is to carry out scientific work and analytical research, as well as to provide expert opinions on Latvia’s challenges, development scenarios and strategies within the international and regional security, political, and economic system. LIIA informs the Latvian and international public about Latvia’s foreign policy trends and developments. The Institute conducts research, issues publications, and organizes lectures, seminars and conferences related to international policy issues, collaborating with Latvian and foreign partners on its projects. LIIA’s activities are currently financed through individual projects and the Institute does not receive core funding from any governmental or non-governmental organization.

LIIA is Latvia’s oldest research center, and it is the country’s best known and most internationally recognized think tank specializing in international affairs. The Latvian Institute of International Affairs was established in Riga on 20 May 1992 and was initially funded by a number of grants from the Swedish government to support research on the security of the Baltic States. The transfer of skills and knowledge has been greatly facilitated by its long-standing cooperation with the Swedish Institute of International Affairs. 

Over the course of more than 30 years, the Latvian Institute of International Affairs has organized several hundred international conferences and discussions. Among the most important high-level international conferences organized by the Latvian Institute of International Affairs and its partners are well-known events such as the Riga Dialogue, the Baltic EU Negotiations, and the Riga Security Forum. In July 2017, LIIA launched the Asia Program. Its central objectives are to promote and coordinate research activities and to provide analysis on Chinese initiatives related to the Baltic region.

LIIA has also published more than a hundred books and studies, all of which are freely available to anyone interested. By virtue of their volume and quality, the books and studies published by LIIA allow for the chronological tracing of how thought and issues in modern Latvian foreign policy have developed, as well as for examining the history of Latvian diplomacy. Several of the LIIA’s books have received international acclaim and are available in many prominent libraries around the world. The Latvian Institute of International Affairs and its partners also publish the annual Latvian Foreign and Security Policy Yearbook, a snapshot of Latvia’s foreign policy achievements and challenges.

The Latvian Institute of International Affairs and its researchers have coordinated and participated in a wide range of international research projects. Among these, LIIA has implemented projects under the European Commission’s Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programs, as well as projects supported by funding from renowned donors such as the National Endowment for Democracy, Freedom House, the German Marshall Fund, the Nordic Council of Ministers, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, EEA Grants, and Norway Grants, among others.

The key partners of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs are the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Saeima of the Republic of Latvia, as well as the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, the European Commission Representation in Latvia, the Nuclear Threat Initiative, the NATO Public Diplomacy Division, and a number of foreign embassies in Latvia.

Similarly, LIIA has also been active in its cooperation with European and global partners within various international scientific bodies. Currently, the Institute is a full member of the following think tank networks:

* The views expressed in the opinion section do not reflect the position of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs.

The Gender Equality Plan (GEP) of the Latvian Institute of International Affairs is available here.