Ms Solveiga Silkalna was the Under Secretary of State for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia since 2017. She has served as Foreign Policy Adviser to three Prime Ministers – Valdis Dombrovskis, Laimdota Straujuma, and Einars Repše.
Ms Solveiga Silkalna began her career in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995 as senior desk officer in the Division of Humanitarian Issues. Later she became a Head of Division and went on to postings at the Permanent Representation of Latvia to the European Union, the Permanent Representation of Latvia to the Council of Europe, and the Embassy of Latvia in the United Kingdom. In 2005, Ms Solveiga Silkalna was appointed Permanent Representative of Latvia to the United Nations in New York.
Ms Solveiga Silkalna holds a Political Science Master's degree in International Relations from the University of Latvia.
Education
- 1997 – Master of Political Science in International Relations, University of Latvia
- 1992 – Diploma of Secondary School Teacher, University of Melbourne
- 1991 – Bachelor of Science, University of Melbourne
Languages
- Latvian
- English
- German
- French
Professional experience
- 2019.07. – present – Foreign Affairs Adviser to the President of Latvia
- 2017.08. – 2019.07. – Deputy State Secretary for European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- 2015.02. – 2017.07. – Deputy Head of Embassy, Embassy of Latvia to the United Kingdom
- 2009.08. – 2014.12. – Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister
- 2005.05. – 2008.08. – Ambassador of Latvia to the UN in New York
- 2002.11. – 2004.03. – Foreign Affairs Adviser to the Prime Minister
- 2001.06. – 2002.11. – Director of the Press and Public Diplomacy Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- 2000.01. – 2001.06. – Adviser at the Representation of Latvia to the Council of Europe
- 1998.04. – 2000.01. – First Secretary at the Representation of Latvia to the European Union
- 1996.09. – 1998.04. – Head of the Humanitarian Affairs Unit, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- 1995.02. – 1996.09. – Senior Officer, Department of International Organisations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- 1993.08. – 1995.01. – Interpreter, Chancery of the President of Latvia