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Latvia is taking measures to promote sustainable development, eradication of poverty, rule of law, and good governance in the EU Eastern Partnership and Central Asia countries, a representative of Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs told Trend.

The ministry official said that Latvia implements development cooperation in line with the national Development Cooperation Policy Guidelines for 2016-2020.

"The overall objective of the development cooperation policy of Latvia is to contribute to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in developing countries, particularly in our priority partner countries in the EU Eastern partnership and Central Asia, by promoting sustainable development, eradication of poverty, rule of law, and good governance," the representative said.

As was noted, for several years now, Latvia has been sharing its knowledge and expertise with partners in Uzbekistan in such sectors as good governance, trade facilitation, standardization and certification of agricultural products, good agricultural practice, IT technologies and digitalization, education and other.

"Within the EU Border Management Program in Central Asia (BOMCA), Latvia with other project partners share its best practice on border management issues," the representative said.

In 2020, within the annual call for proposals (i.e. grant project competition), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia has approved three projects to be implemented in support of Uzbekistan, the official noted.

"In line with the 'Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19', this competition was envisaged to address urgent issues caused by the COVID-19 crisis, including in the health sector, and to overcome socio-economic challenges related to COVID-19. To reach those aims, the support could also be provided to the development of public governance, administrative capacity building, business development, strengthening export capacity, and promotion of principles of democratic and open societies," the official said.

Besides the annual call for proposals, this year Latvia will also implement a project to exchange experience on education digitalization issues in Central Asia Uzbekistan included.

"Moreover, our support to partner countries in 2020 is also a part of assistance put in place through the Team Europe package in the EU’s Eastern Partnership and Central Asian countries described in the 'Communication on the Global EU response to COVID-19'," the official concluded.