Baiba Braže
Minister of Foreign Affairs
On 19 April 2024, the Saeima (Parliament) of the Republic of Latvia approved career diplomat Baiba Braže for the post of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia.
From July 2023 until April 18, 2024 Baiba Braže performed the duties of Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
From 2020 to 2023, Baiba Braže held the post of Assistant Secretary General of NATO for Public Diplomacy. Within her remit, she devised and oversaw strategic communications activities across all NATO civilian and military bodies and commands.
Baiba Braže joined the Foreign Service in 1993. Within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, she has worked in the Department of International Law, the Division of International Political Organisations, served as Head of the Humanitarian Affairs Division, Counsellor to the Task Force for Preparation of EU Accession Negotiations, Director of the First Political Department (European Affairs), Head of the Directorate of Security Policy and International Organisations, and Head of the Communications Directorate. From 1998 to 1999, Baiba Braže served as Foreign Policy Advisor to Prime Minister Vilis Krištopans.
From 2016 to 2020, Baiba Braže was posted as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Latvia to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and from 2003 to 2008, as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while also representing Latvia in the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. From 1996 to 1998, Baiba Braže served as First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Latvia to the UN in New York. In 2015 and 2016, she was non-resident Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the Republic of Indonesia.
Baiba Braže has earned a Master’s degree in Communication Science from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Latvia and graduated from the Faculty of Law at the University of Latvia. She has also studied political sciences at the Faculty of History and Philosophy of the University of Latvia, as well as Southeast Asian and Thai Buddhism studies at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand.
Baiba Braže has been awarded the Cross of Recognition, Second Class, of the Republic of Latvia. She has also been made Officer of the French Order of the Legion of Honour, Grand Officer of the Portuguese Order of Prince Henry, and Grand Officer of the Netherlands Order of Orange-Nassau.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs is fluent in English, Russian, and Dutch, she speaks French at an intermediate level, and has basic knowledge of the Thai language.