Singapore’s Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan concluded an official visit to the Republic of Latvia from March 31 to April 1, 2026, at the invitation of Latvian Minister of Foreign Affairs Baiba Braže. This marked Minister Balakrishnan’s first visit to Latvia in his capacity as Minister for Foreign Affairs.
Meetings with Latvian Leaders
During his visit to Riga, Minister Balakrishnan met with President Edgars Rinkēvičs, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima (Parliament) Ms. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, and Parliamentary Secretary Mr. Artjoms Uršuļskis. On April 1, he met with Prime Minister Evika Siliņa and Minister Braže, who also hosted him to lunch.
Bilateral Cooperation and Regional Issues
Minister Balakrishnan reaffirmed the warm and growing relations between Singapore and Latvia, exploring opportunities to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas including trade, the digital economy, innovation, cybersecurity, and people-to-people exchanges. Both sides welcomed further economic links through the EU-Singapore Free Trade Agreement and the EU-Singapore Digital Trade Agreement. They also expressed support for deepening collaboration between the EU and ASEAN, as well as the EU and members of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).
The leaders exchanged views on regional and international developments, emphasizing the importance of continued cooperation in multilateral forums like the United Nations. Both countries underscored the importance of upholding international law and a rules-based international order, recognizing their shared status as small, open, and globally connected states.
Additional Activities and Departure
As part of his visit, Minister Balakrishnan participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Freedom Monument in Riga and engaged in a roundtable discussion with members of Latvia’s Foreign Affairs Expert Council, sharing Singapore’s perspectives on geopolitical developments. He and Minister Braže held a joint doorstop interview, the transcript of Minister Balakrishnan’s remarks is available