Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA)

The Latvian Institute of International Affairs (LIIA) was established in May 1992 in Riga as a non-profit foundation charged with the task of providing Latvia's decision-makers, experts, and the wider public with analysis, recommendations, and information about international developments, regional security issues, and foreign policy strategy and choices. It is an independent non-governmental institution that conducts research, publishes publications, as well as organizes lectures, seminars and conferences related to international affairs.

Among Latvian think tanks, the LIIA is the oldest and one of the most well-known and internationally recognized institutions, especially as the leading think tank that specializes in international affairs. In the LIIA's efforts to provide expertise from a Latvian perspective, the Institute and its fellows have participated in and coordinated various international research projects. The Institute has recently been focusing on such research themes as

  • Latvian foreign policy,
  • Transatlantic relations,
  • European Union policies, including its neighborhood policy and Eastern Partnership, and
  • multilateral and bilateral relations with Russia.

The LIIA was founded and initially funded by several grants from the Swedish government to support research on Baltic security, and has cooperated with the Swedish Institute of International Affairs (www.ui.se) in skills transfer programmes for a number of years. The LIIA is currently financed by individual projects.

Similarly, the LIIA has been active in cooperation with its counterparts in Europe and worldwide within various international scientific frameworks. At the moment, the Institute is a full member of the following research networks:

  • The Transeuropean Policy Studies Association (TEPSA) - www.tepsa.be
  • The EU Non-Proliferation Consortium - www.nonproliferation.eu/
  • EU Consent - www.eu-consent.net
  • Euro-Mediterranian Study Commission (EuroMesCo) - www.euromesco.net
  • European Policy Institutes Network on the Future of Europe Debate (EPIN) - www.epin.org

 

Contact:
Latvian Institute of International Affairs
21 Pils street
LV-1050, Riga
Republic of Latvia
www.lai.lv

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Raimonds Rublovskis is Colonel (Retired) with 23 years of service in the National Armed Forces of the Republic of Latvia. During his service he held various key command and staff positions in the fields of security and strategic planning, such as Commander of the Military Police of National Armed Forces of Latvia (1997), Commander of the Parliament and State President Security Service (1997-2003), National Military Representative of Latvia at NATO SHAPE (Mons, Belgium) (2003-2007), and Chief of the Strategic Planning Department (J-5) of the Joint Headquarters of the National Armed Forces of Latvia (2007-2010).

R. Rublovskis holds a Master's degree in History (University of Latvia, 1994), as well as a higher professional education degree in Law (University of Latvia, 2000). He graduated from The United States Marine Corps Command and Staff College in Quantico, VA, in 2001 with Master’s degree in Military studies.

R. Rublovskis has participated in numerous professional events and conferences dealing with issues like Defence Against Terrorism, Special Operations, Defence Planning, Operational and Force Planning, Strategic Planning, and Expeditionary Operations.