Mrs. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica

Parliamentary secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia

Dr Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica is a Latvian politician and since 2014 serves as a Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, ensuring communication of the Ministry with the Latvian Parliament. She represents the government of Latvia at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings of Development Ministers and at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings of Trade Ministers. Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica currently chairs the Consultative Board for Development Cooperation Policy of Latvia.

Prior to joining the Ministry Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica was elected to the Latvian Parliament and served as Chairperson of the European Affairs Committee during her mandate (2011-2014). Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica is a member of the Unity Party, EPP Group.

Between 2008 and 2011, Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica was appointed to the Strategic Analysis Commission of the President of Latvia and served as Adviser on Strategic Planning and Analysis to the President of Latvia. Prior to this, she worked for the Ministry of Regional Development and Local Government as Deputy State Secretary.

In 2016 Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica received an award of the Cabinet of Ministers for a significant contribution to ensuring Latvia’s successful accession to the OECD.

Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica is a member of the board of trusties of the Brussels based think tank “Friends of Europe” and member of the board of a non-profit organization “European Movement – Latvia”.

Dr Kalniņa-Lukaševica holds a PhD in Management Sciences from the University of Latvia. She is a Senior Researcher at the European Policy Research Institute and a lecturer at the Faculty of Business, Management and Economics of the University of Latvia.