Baiba Braže
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

Baiba Braže (born 4 December 1966) is a Latvian politician and diplomat who has served as
Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
since 2024. She previously served as the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy from 2020 to 2023. A member of
New Unity The New Unity (, JV) is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism. History Before the 2018 Latvian parliamentary ele ...
, Braže has held various positions in the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
in her diplomatic career between 1993 and 2024. Born in
Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
, Braže studied at the
University of Latvia University of Latvia (, shortened ''LU'') is a public research university located in Riga, Latvia. The university was established in 1919. History The University of Latvia, initially named as the Higher School of Latvia () was founded on Se ...
where she earned a master's degree in law and another master's degree in communication science. She also studied in
Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
in Austria, as well as at the
University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; , abbreviated as RUG) is a Public university#Continental Europe, public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen (city), Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, th ...
in the Netherlands and the
Åbo Akademi University Åbo Akademi University ( , ) is the only exclusively Swedish language multi-faculty university in Finland (or anywhere outside Sweden). It is located mainly in Turku (Åbo is the Swedish name of the city) but has also activities in Vaasa. Å ...
in Finland. She began her career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1993 and served as the Permanent Representative of Latvia to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
from 1996 to 1998. Braže then worked as a Foreign Affairs adviser to Prime Minister
Vilis Krištopans Vilis Krištopans (born 13 June 1954) is a Latvian politician who served as the prime minister of Latvia from 26 November 1998 to 15 July 1999. As a prime minister he was a member of the Latvian Way political party. He then left politics and, in ...
and later served as the Ambassador of Latvia to the Netherlands from July 2003 to August 2008. After her husband became the Dutch ambassador to several Asian countries, Braže moved with her family to Asia and studied at the
Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
whilst living there. Braže returned to the Foreign Ministry in 2011 and worked as Directorate of Security Policy and International Organisations until 2016. In 2015, she became the non-resident Ambassador of Latvia to Indonesia, becoming the first ever Latvian Ambassador to the country. She also briefly worked as the Director General of the Communications Directorate from February to July 2016. In August 2016, she was appointed Ambassador of Latvia to the United Kingdom, shortly after the
Brexit referendum The 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, commonly referred to as the EU referendum or the Brexit referendum, was a referendum that took place on 23 June 2016 in the United Kingdom (UK) and Gibraltar under the provisions o ...
. Braže left her position as Ambassador to the UK in order to become the NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy in May 2020, the highest ranking position any Latvian had ever held in the organisation. She served in the position until 2023, and then worked as an
Ambassador at Large An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat, a secretary, or a minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent a country and its people internationally. Unlike an ambassador-in-residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ...
in the Foreign Ministry from 2023 to 2024. In April 2024, following the resignation of
Krišjānis Kariņš Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš (; born 13 December 1964) is a Latvian American politician who served as the prime minister of Latvia from 2019 until 2023. A linguist and businessman by profession, he previously served as Latvia's minister of Economic ...
, Braže was appointed
Minister of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and foreign relations, relations, diplomacy, bilateralism, ...
in the
Siliņa cabinet The Evika Siliņa cabinet (Latvian language, Latvian: ''Siliņas ministru kabinets'') is the 42nd and current Government of Latvia, government of Latvia, sworn in on 15 September 2023 after Evika Siliņa was proposed as Prime Minister of Latvia, ...
. She became the second female Latvian foreign minister in history, since
Sandra Kalniete Sandra Kalniete (born 22 December 1952) is a Latvian politician, author, diplomat and independence movement leader. She served as Foreign Minister of Latvia 2002–2004 and as European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisherie ...
who served in the position over 20 years prior. In June 2024, she joined
New Unity The New Unity (, JV) is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism. History Before the 2018 Latvian parliamentary ele ...
, having not previously been a member of any political party during her entire diplomatic career.


Early life and education

Braže was born on 4 December 1966 in
Riga Riga ( ) is the capital, Primate city, primate, and List of cities and towns in Latvia, largest city of Latvia. Home to 591,882 inhabitants (as of 2025), the city accounts for a third of Latvia's total population. The population of Riga Planni ...
in
Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic (Also known as the Latvian SSR, or Latvia) was a constituent republic of the Soviet Union from 1940 to 1941, and then from 1944 until 1990. The Soviet occupation and annexation of Latvia began between J ...
of the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, although her parents are from the city of
Liepāja Liepāja () (formerly: Libau) is a Administrative divisions of Latvia, state city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea. It is the largest city in the Courland region and the third-largest in the country after Riga and Daugavpils. It is an ...
. Braže spent many of her childhood summers in
Bārta Bārta (in Latvian), also named Bartuva (in Lithuanian), is a river in western Lithuania and Latvia. It originates in the Plungė district, 3 km to north of Lake Plateliai. The Bārta flows in a northwesterly direction, passing through ...
, where her grandparents lived. Braže stated that her grandfather, Fricis, had built his house there with his own hands and took care of it all his life, whilst her grandmother, Alvīne, was a singer in a Bārta ensemble and teacher at a school in Bārta. She started going to Bārta less often when she began training to become a
javelin throw The javelin throw is a track and field event where the javelin, a spear about in length, is thrown as far as possible. The javelin thrower gains momentum by running within a predetermined area. Javelin throwing is an event of both the men's de ...
er and going to competitions. She trained with athlete Valentīna Eiduka, and continued to train for ten years until she stopped playing after an injury. She has attributed President
Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (; born 1 December 1937) is a Latvian politician who served as the sixth president of Latvia from 1999 to 2007. She is the first and to date only woman to hold the post and the most recent to be re-elected for a second ter ...
and conductor
Mariss Jansons Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons (14 January 1943 – 1 December 2019) was a Latvian Conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of Gustav Mahler, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Strauss, and Russian composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, ...
as inspirations to her. On 23 August 1989, Braže along with her family, friends and fellow students, stood in the
Baltic Way The Baltic Way (; ; ) or Baltic Chain (also "Chain of Freedom") was a peaceful political demonstration that occurred on 23 August 1989. Approximately two million people joined their hands to form a human chain spanning across the three Baltic ...
in protest against
Soviet occupation During World War II, the Soviet Union occupied and annexed several countries effectively handed over by Nazi Germany in the secret Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact of 1939. These included the eastern regions of Poland (incorporated into three differe ...
. On the 30th anniversary of the event, she wrote in
The Diplomat A diplomat is someone who represents a government in its relations with other governments. It may also refer to: Diplomat, the Diplomat or the Diplomats may refer to: Media * ''The Diplomat'' (magazine), a Washington, D.C. online foreign affa ...
, where she described the atmosphere of the event as "electric" and said that they were "fearless and totally committed to their cause" as well as stating that they wanted to regain their "freedom and independence." Braže began studying at the
University of Latvia University of Latvia (, shortened ''LU'') is a public research university located in Riga, Latvia. The university was established in 1919. History The University of Latvia, initially named as the Higher School of Latvia () was founded on Se ...
in 1985, where she earned a
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
from in law in 1990. She then studied
political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and Power (social and political), power, and the analysis of political activities, political philosophy, political thought, polit ...
at the University of Latvia from 1992 to 1993 and
International Public Law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of rules, norms, legal customs and standards that states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generally do, obey in their mutual relations. In in ...
at the
University of Groningen The University of Groningen (abbreviated as UG; , abbreviated as RUG) is a Public university#Continental Europe, public research university of more than 30,000 students in the city of Groningen (city), Groningen, Netherlands. Founded in 1614, th ...
in the Netherlands in 1993. In 1994, she studied Transnational Law and Legal Institutions in
Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...
and in 1995 she studied the International Protection of Human Rights at the
Åbo Akademi University Åbo Akademi University ( , ) is the only exclusively Swedish language multi-faculty university in Finland (or anywhere outside Sweden). It is located mainly in Turku (Åbo is the Swedish name of the city) but has also activities in Vaasa. Å ...
in Finland. She earned another
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional prac ...
at the University of Latvia, studying Communication Science from 2000 to 2002. In 2014, she was trained by the School of Public Administration and the European Institute of Public Administration in order to prepare for Latvia's presidency of the
council of the EU The Council of the European Union, often referred to in the treaties and other official documents simply as the Council, and less formally known as the Council of Ministers, is the third of the seven institutions of the European Union (EU) as ...
. The same year, she took a Generals, Flag Officers and Ambassadors course at the
NATO Defense College NATO Defense College (NDC) is the international military college for NATO, North Atlantic Treaty Organization countries. It is located in Rome, Italy. History The idea of a NATO Defense College originated with General Dwight D. Eisenhower, t ...
in
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
.


Diplomatic career (1993–2020)


Early career: 1993–2008

Braže joined the Latvian Foreign Ministry in August 1993, working as a Senior Desk Officer from 1993 to 1994. She was then a Senior Desk Officer of the International Political Organisations Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from 1994 to 1995, and then from 1995 to 1996 she was Head of the Human Rights Policy Division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. She subsequently served as the First Secretary of the
Permanent Mission A diplomatic mission or foreign mission is a group of people from a state or organization present in another state to represent the sending state or organization officially in the receiving or host state. In practice, the phrase usually denotes a ...
of Latvia to the
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is the Earth, global intergovernmental organization established by the signing of the Charter of the United Nations, UN Charter on 26 June 1945 with the stated purpose of maintaining international peace and internationa ...
in
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York New York may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * ...
from 1996 to 1998. Braže worked as a Counsellor of the Task Force for Preparation of EU Accession Negotiations in the Foreign Ministry, and as Foreign Affairs adviser to Prime Minister,
Vilis Krištopans Vilis Krištopans (born 13 June 1954) is a Latvian politician who served as the prime minister of Latvia from 26 November 1998 to 15 July 1999. As a prime minister he was a member of the Latvian Way political party. He then left politics and, in ...
, from 1998 to 1999. She was then Director of the First Political Department from 1999 to 2003 in the Foreign Ministry. From July 2003 to August 2008, she served as the Latvian ambassador to the Netherlands and also the Permanent Representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. She then served as an
Ambassador at Large An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat, a secretary, or a minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent a country and its people internationally. Unlike an ambassador-in-residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ...
in the Third Political Directorate of the Foreign Ministry in 2008. After her husband became an Ambassador to various Asian countries, Braže left the Foreign Ministry and lived in Asia.


Return to the Foreign Ministry: 2011–2016

Braže returned to the Foreign Ministry in 2011, working as Directorate of Security Policy and International Organisations until 2016. She then served as the Non-resident Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the
Republic of Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
from 2015 to 2016, residing in Riga and becoming the first Latvian Ambassador to the country. On 3 February 2016, President
Joko Widodo Joko Widodo (; born 21 June 1961), often known mononymously as Jokowi, is an Indonesian politician, engineer, and businessman who served as the seventh president of Indonesia from 2014 to 2024. Previously a member of the Indonesian Democratic ...
presented credentials to Braže in a ceremony in Jakarta, where she thanked Widodo for his assessment of good relations between the countries and said that they were formed from political dialogue, growing economic relations and cooperation in international organisations. She also worked as the Director General of the Communications Directorate of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from February to July 2016.


Ambassador to the UK: 2016–2020

On 24 August 2016, Braže became the Latvian Ambassador to the United Kingdom. On 22 July 2016, President,
Raimonds Vējonis Raimonds Vējonis (born 15 June 1966) is a Latvian politician who served as the 9th President of Latvia from 2015 to 2019 and the president of the Latvian Basketball Association since 2020. He is a member of the Latvian Green Party, part of the ...
, presented credentials to her. In September 2016, Braže hosted a lunch of a Nordic group of Ambassadors where the rise in hate crime following the
Brexit referendum The 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, commonly referred to as the EU referendum or the Brexit referendum, was a referendum that took place on 23 June 2016 in the United Kingdom (UK) and Gibraltar under the provisions o ...
was discussed, with Braže stating that their citizens "have not experienced anything like this before the referendum" and that there was maybe "an atmosphere" that was "more permitting of unpleasant words and maybe actions." On 14 November 2016, Braže attended the official opening of the Honorary Consulate of Latvia in
Glasgow Glasgow is the Cities of Scotland, most populous city in Scotland, located on the banks of the River Clyde in Strathclyde, west central Scotland. It is the List of cities in the United Kingdom, third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom ...
, which was attended by External Affairs Secretary,
Fiona Hyslop Fiona Jane Hyslop (born 1 August 1964) is a Scotland, Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition, Cabinet Secretary for Transport since 2024. Hyslop has served in various offices under fir ...
as David Kaye became the first Honorary Consul of Latvia in Glasgow for almost 60 years. On 17 November, she presented her
letters of credence A letter of credence (, ) is a formal diplomatic letter that designates a diplomat as ambassador to another sovereign state. Commonly known as diplomatic credentials, the letter is addressed from one head of state to another, asking them to give ...
to
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
in an audience at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
, which was attended by her husband. In April 2017, Braže celebrated the 98th anniversary of the statehood of Latvia in
London London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
where she addressed guests and reminded them of the Latvian support for the UK at the end of
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
and said "we hope that will never be necessary again." The event was attended by various dignitaries including MP
Mark Prisk Michael Mark Prisk (born 12 June 1962) is a British politician who was Member of Parliament (MP) for Hertford and Stortford from 2001 until 2019. A member of the Conservative Party, he was Minister of State for Business and Enterprise from ...
, Ambassador Peter Ammon and Ambassador Arkady Rzegocki. In July, Braže travelled to
Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ; ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, part of the United Kingdom in the north-east of the island of Ireland. It has been #Descriptions, variously described as a country, province or region. Northern Ireland shares Repub ...
where she met with Latvian Honorary Consul to Northern Ireland, Gerard O'Hare, and in an interview she described Brexit as "big news" because "nobody expected it." On 4 December 2017, Braže launched Latvia's centenary celebrations in the United Kingdom alongside
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs The secretary of state for foreign, commonwealth and development affairs, also known as the foreign secretary, is a Secretary of State (United Kingdom), secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, Government of the United Kingdo ...
,
Boris Johnson Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson (born 19 June 1964) is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party (UK), Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He wa ...
, by lighting a Christmas tree given by Latvia in
Lancaster House Lancaster House (originally known as York House and then Stafford House) is a mansion on The Mall, London, The Mall in the St James's district in the West End of London. Adjacent to The Green Park, it is next to Clarence House and St James ...
. Whilst Johnson spoke about the relationship between Latvia and the UK, Braže highlighted the close historical ties and pointed to the well developed cooperation between the countries. In July 2018, Braže made her first official visit to
Guernsey Guernsey ( ; Guernésiais: ''Guernési''; ) is the second-largest island in the Channel Islands, located west of the Cotentin Peninsula, Normandy. It is the largest island in the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which includes five other inhabited isl ...
where she met with representatives of the Latvian community and also fired the noon-day gun at
Castle Cornet Castle Cornet is a large island castle in Guernsey, and former tidal island, also known as Cornet Rock or Castle Rock. Its importance was as a defence not only of the island, but of the roadstead. In 1859, it became part of one of the breakwat ...
, as well as learning about the culture and heritage of the island. On 30 September 2018, in response to Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs,
Jeremy Hunt Sir Jeremy Richard Streynsham Hunt (born 1 November 1966) is a British politician who served as Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2022 to 2024 and Foreign Secretary from 2018 to 2019, having previously served as Secretary of State for Health a ...
, comparing the EU to the Soviet Union, Braže tweeted and rebuked the comparison. She said that Soviets "killed, deported, exiled and imprisoned" hundreds of thousands of Latvia's inhabitants and that the Soviets "ruined the lives of 3 generations", contrasting this to the EU which she said had "brought prosperity, equality, growth" and "respect." On 3 December 2018, Braže along with Hunt, lit the lights of a Latvian Christmas tree to mark the centenary celebration of Latvian independence, with Braže stating that the many ties between the two countries "will not change." On 17 June 2019, Braže hosted a discussion alongside MP and Chair of the
Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, formerly the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, is one of the Select committee (United Kingdom), select committees of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons, es ...
,
Damian Collins Damian Noel Thomas Collins (born 4 February 1974) is a British politician who served as a junior Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy in the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport between July and October 2022. A member of the ...
, on digital interference in elections and democratic processes, which was also attended by the Chief Executive of the
Electoral Commission An election commission is a body charged with overseeing the implementation of electioneering process of any country. The formal names of election commissions vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and may be styled an electoral commission, a c ...
, Bob Posner. She served in the position as the Latvian Ambassador to the United Kingdom until May 2020, and was succeeded by Ivita Burmistre.


Later career (2020–2024)


NATO Assistant Secretary General: 2020–2023


2020

On 29 January 2020, Foreign Minister
Edgars Rinkēvičs Edgars Rinkēvičs (born 21 September 1973) is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023. He previously served as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), minister of foreign af ...
announced that Braže would leave her Ambassadorship to take up the position of NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy, tweeting that he was "confident that her knowledge and experience" would be a "great asset for the whole Alliance." Braže herself said that she was looking forward to working for the "most successful defensive alliance" and was congratulated by various officials on her appointment, including by former President
Egils Levits Egils Levits (born 30 June 1955) is a Latvian politician, lawyer, political scientist and jurist who served as the tenth president of Latvia from 2019 to 2023. He was a List of members of the European Court of Justice, member of the European Cour ...
and Ambassador
Māris Riekstiņš Māris Riekstiņš (born 8 April 1963 in Riga, Soviet Union) is a Latvian politician and diplomat and a former Foreign Minister of Latvia (November 2007 – April 2010). He is a former Ambassador of Latvia to the Russian Federation (September ...
. Braže officially took up the position in May under Secretary General
Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO. ...
, becoming the highest ranking Latvian official in organisation's history. In her role, she advised Secretary General Stoltenberg and oversaw the coordination of strategic communication activities across all NATO civilian, military bodies and commands, as well as directing the NATO Public Diplomacy Division. On 29 May, she participated in a
webinar Web conferencing is used as an umbrella term for various types of online conference, conferencing and collaborative services including webinars (web seminars), webcasts, and web meetings. Sometimes it may be used also in the more narrow sense of ...
along with
Maroš Šefčovič Maroš Šefčovič (; born 24 July 1966) is a Slovak diplomat and politician serving as European Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security; Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency (2024–2029) in the Von der Leyen Commission II. Prior t ...
, where she said that NATO had been working for many years to strengthen the resilience of its members and said that it was "clear that more work needs to be done" regarding the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...
, as well as emphasising that "we all need to work together." She also referred to countering disinformation as an area where more cooperation was needed, stating that NATO was in "close contact" with the EU on the issue. In July, she participated in the Belgrade NATO week, where she addressed the response of NATO to the pandemic and also its role against disinformation, stating that it was important for NATO to "show the facts." On 25 November, along with the President of the
NATO Parliamentary Assembly The NATO Parliamentary Assembly serves as the consultative interparliamentary organisation for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). It consists of delegates from the parliaments of the 32 NATO member countries as well as from associate ...
Gerry Connolly Gerald Edward Connolly (March 30, 1950 – May 21, 2025) was an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for Virginia's 11th congressional district from 2009 until his death in 2025. A Democrat, he was first elected in 2008 ...
and the Vice President
Attila Mesterházy Attila Mesterházy (born 30 January 1974) is a Hungarian politician, who served as the seventh chairman of the Hungarian Socialist Party (MSZP) from 10 July 2010 to 29 May 2014. He was a Member of Parliament between 2004 and 2022. He was the par ...
spoke online at an event organised by the
German Marshall Fund The German Marshall Fund of the United States (GMF) is a non-partisan American public policy think tank that seeks to promote cooperation and understanding between North America and the European Union. Founded in 1972, through a gift from the W ...
which took place the day after the 2020 NATO Parliamentary annual session. During her comments, Braže stressed that NATO traditional challenges, such as the actions of Russia in Europe. At an
Atlantic Council The Atlantic Council is an American think tank in the field of international affairs, favoring Atlanticism, founded in 1961. It manages sixteen regional centers and functional programs related to international security and global economic prosp ...
event held on 11 December to discuss the bold ideas for the future of NATO, Braže she stated that Russia "cannot veto the decision on expansion of NATO." She also said at the same time, NATO "cannot veto membership of Georgia and Ukraine either" and said that it "largely depends" on "NATO's political decision making process", as well as discussing the practical work that continued to upgrade both Georgia and Ukraine.


2021

On 18 March 2021, Braže hosted an event titled "Gender equality and leadership: are today's leaders leading enough" amid the health crisis which followed the UN 2021 Women in leadership event, attended by Deputy Secretary General,
Mircea Geoană Dan Mircea Geoană (; born 14 July 1958) is a Romanian politician and diplomat who served as the Secretary General of NATO, deputy secretary general of NATO between 2019 and 2024. He previously served as president of the Senate of Romania from D ...
and Ambassador
David Angell David Lawrence Angell (April 10, 1946 – September 11, 2001) was an American screenwriter and television producer, known for his work in sitcoms. He won multiple Emmy Awards as a ''Cheers'' writer and as the creator and executive producer of t ...
amongst others. On 6 June, in her speech at the conference for the partnership between Serbia and NATO, Braže said that there was "no vision of peace and security in the Euro-Atlantic region without peace and security in the Western Balkans." She also stated that "facts and clear communications can save lives" and that "proactive communications engages audiences and provide factual information" which she argued "helps to build societal resistance." In September, at the Lennart Meri Conference held in
Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...
which Braže attended, on a panel discussing the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, French Director General for political and security affairs Philippe Errera suggested that there should have been more discussion about the plans of the U.S. with NATO. Braže then went on to say that they were "reeling from Afghanistan" but argued that they "shouldn't have been surprised by the decision" and they should have "listened to American leaders"; arguing that the American leaders "clearly indicated where they stood."


2022

In May 2022, Braže participated in the 14th Istanbul Security Conference held on 25 and 26 May. In her address at the event, Braže said that unity and cohesion was central to NATO and said that, in difficult times, the leadership and commitment of Turkey was needed. She described terrorism as a "persistent global threat" and said that the international community "must tackle it together." She also said that rapid technological change and global interconnectivity were "key points" and said that NATO was "doing everything" to counter those challenges, as well stating that NATO "stands up for its values and way of life" in order to "safeguard the freedom and security of all its members. On 6 July, Braže opened the Russian War Crimes House exhibition at the NATO headquarters in Brussels, which consisted of photos and videos depicting " Russian atrocities in Ukraine". At the opening, she reiterated the commitment of NATO in the Madrid summit to work with the relevant people to hold all those responsible for war crimes accountable. She stated at the opening "we stand in full solidarity with Ukraine" and said that their courage was "an inspiration". On 11 July, in an interview with Hype&Hyper, Braže described NATO as a "values-based organisation" and said that the organisation was "more united than ever." She also said that it was "natural" to have differences amongst allies, but they all agreed on the task to "defend and protect each other."


2023

In January 2023, at the biennial conference of Allied Contact Point Embassies hosted by NATO on 26 and 27 January, Braže spoke on the strategic communications of NATO. She said that Contact Point Embassies host a "truly global network", and also said that as the" biggest security challenge in a generation" was being faced, the "cooperative network" of the Contact Point Embassies was important "more than ever" for the allies and partners of NATO. On 31 March, Braže along with Brigadier General, Ilmars Lejins, raised a flag at the Cinquantenaire Arch which flew until April 5, to commemorate NATO Unity, and also on the occasion of the "historic" 74th anniversary of NATO due to the accession of Finland and the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 4 and 5 April. In April, Braže travelled to
Canberra Canberra ( ; ) is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the Federation of Australia, federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's list of cities in Australia, largest in ...
in Australia where she met with officials from the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) is the department of the Australian government responsible for foreign policy and international relations, development aid (under the name Australian Aid), consular services, overseas trad ...
and also the Chief of the Australian Defence Force, General Angus Campbell, during which she commented on the various different partnerships NATO had around the world and also that each different partnerships were agreed within the Individually Tailored Partnership Programme (ITPP). In May, at the Final NATO Contact Point Embassy event held in
Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...
, Braže alongside Lithuanian Permanent Representative to NATO,
Deividas Matulionis Deividas Matulionis (born on 2 September 1963), is a Lithuanian politician and diplomat, who was the permanent representative to NATO between 2020 and 2025. He was the former Chancellor of the Prime Minister of Lithuania. Matulionis had also s ...
, and Finnish Foreign and Security Policy Director Petri Hakkarainen, contributed to discussions which were moderated by Romanian Ambassador to Finland, Maria Ligor. In her pre-recorded marks, Braže highlighted the importance of support to Ukraine and also to uphold the rules of international order in the current security environment. In June, ahead of the 2023 Vilinius summit, Braže argued that since the time Russia had invaded Ukraine, China had become "a hostile actor to NATO." She went on to say that China would become a "bigger issue for NATO" if it learned from Russia that the use of force is "something they can get away with"; citing this as a reason that standing for Ukraine was a "matter of international security." She also stated that Russia was "failing" and that Ukraine "will win the war." Braže left her position as NATO assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy in June after over three years in the position and was succeeded by Marie-Doha Besancenot.


Ambassador at large: 2023–2024

After her departure from NATO, Braže became an
Ambassador at Large An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat, a secretary, or a minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent a country and its people internationally. Unlike an ambassador-in-residence, who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ...
in the Foreign Ministry in July 2023. On 23 August 2023, Braže met with the Chair of the Standing Committee on National Defence of the
House of Commons of Canada The House of Commons of Canada () is the lower house of the Parliament of Canada. Together with the Monarchy of Canada#Parliament (King-in-Parliament), Crown and the Senate of Canada, they comprise the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of Ca ...
, John McKay, and representatives from the Committee on National Defence. During their meeting, they discussed cooperation between Cananda and Latvia on strengthening security in the
Baltic region The Baltic Sea Region, alternatively the Baltic Rim countries (or simply the Baltic Rim), and the Baltic Sea countries/states, refers to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea, including parts of Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. Un ...
and the
Euro The euro (currency symbol, symbol: euro sign, €; ISO 4217, currency code: EUR) is the official currency of 20 of the Member state of the European Union, member states of the European Union. This group of states is officially known as the ...
-
Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for se ...
region, as well as reinforcing bilateral cooperation between the two countries. They also agreed that Ukraine should continue to receive assistance and also that Russia should be held accountable for its actions. Braže thanked Canada for its contribution to the security of Latvia, highlighting the expansion of NATO in particular, and also commended the country for its stance on the
Russian invasion of Ukraine On 24 February 2022, , starting the largest and deadliest war in Europe since World War II, in a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian War, conflict between the two countries which began in 2014. The fighting has caused hundreds of thou ...
. On 13 and 14 November 2023, Braže participated in an
OECD The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD; , OCDE) is an international organization, intergovernmental organization with 38 member countries, founded in 1961 to stimulate economic progress and international trade, wor ...
conference on tackling disinformation and represented Latvia in a panel discussion on coordination within and across governments. During the discussion, she emphasised that close coordination between partners and organisations as well as close coordination at the national level were important in tackling false content, as well as noting a transparent approach was crucial to help identify misinformation. During her visit, she met with the Director for Public Governance and Director for Communications of the OECD, Elsa Pilichowski, and they discussed the role of the organisation in finding better solutions for democratic resilience, amongst other issues including Latvia's approach to develop its strategic communications capacity and the strengthening of the security of the information space. On 29 November 2023, on a visit to Ukraine Braže met with Deputy Head of the office of President Zelensky, Igor Zhovkva, and they discussed the Euro-atlantic integration of Ukraine, with Braže confirming Latvia's pledge to help support Ukraine.


Foreign minister (2024–present)


Appointment and joining New Unity

On 10 April 2024, former Prime Minister and incumbent Foreign Minister
Krišjānis Kariņš Arturs Krišjānis Kariņš (; born 13 December 1964) is a Latvian American politician who served as the prime minister of Latvia from 2019 until 2023. A linguist and businessman by profession, he previously served as Latvia's minister of Economic ...
resigned amidst a scandal of his alleged misuse of public funds on private aviation during his premiership, leaving the office on Foreign Minister vacant. On 15 April, Braže was nominated by
New Unity The New Unity (, JV) is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism. History Before the 2018 Latvian parliamentary ele ...
to become the Minister of Foreign Affairs. On 17 April, President
Edgars Rinkēvičs Edgars Rinkēvičs (born 21 September 1973) is a Latvian public official and politician serving as the 11th and current president of Latvia since July 2023. He previously served as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Latvia), minister of foreign af ...
, himself being the longest serving Foreign Minister in Latvian history and the predecessor of Kariņš, announced his support for Braže. Prime Minister
Evika Siliņa Evika Siliņa (; born 3 August 1975) is a Latvian lawyer and politician who has been serving as the prime minister of Latvia since 15 September 2023. From 2022 to 2023, she served as in the Second Kariņš cabinet, second cabinet of prime minist ...
also reiterated her support for Braže, describing Braže as a "strong candidate" and stating that she had not heard of "any doubts" expressed about Braže's "professionalism." On 19 April, The Saeima confirmed her appointment with 66 votes for, 11 votes against and 9 abstentions. Braže was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Siliņa, succeeding Kariņš. She became the second female Foreign Minister in Latvia's history, after
Sandra Kalniete Sandra Kalniete (born 22 December 1952) is a Latvian politician, author, diplomat and independence movement leader. She served as Foreign Minister of Latvia 2002–2004 and as European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisherie ...
. Prime Minister Silinia reported invited Braže to join
New Unity The New Unity (, JV) is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism. History Before the 2018 Latvian parliamentary ele ...
after Braže's nomination by the party to the position of Foreign Minister, and at the time of her nomination, Braže stated in a radio interview that she was considering the offer. On 4 June, Braže joined
New Unity The New Unity (, JV) is a centre-right political alliance in Latvia. Its members are Unity and four other regional parties, and it is orientated towards liberal-conservatism and liberalism. History Before the 2018 Latvian parliamentary ele ...
, having not previously been in a political party during her entire diplomatic career for over 30 years. She had previously held the role of Minister of Foreign Affairs between 19 April and 4 June on a non-partisan basis.


European Union

On 22 April 2024, Braže made her first trip abroad to
Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...
where she attended a meeting of the
Foreign Affairs Council The Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) is a configuration of the Council of the European Union that convenes once a month. Meetings bring together the foreign ministers of the member states. Ministers responsible for European affairs, defence, developm ...
(FAC). During the joint session of Foreign Affairs Ministers and Defence Ministers, Braže stated that the EU must "take action immediately" so that assistance to Ukraine would not decrease and also said that it was important to "align EU sanctions on Belarus with the regime of sanctions against Russia." She also called on the EU to take "resolute action" to expand Iran's drone sanctions regime to "include ballistic missiles." On 27 May, Braže attended the FAC which focused on support to Ukraine and also the situation in the middle east. Braže said that Ukraine must receive "all necessary support" which included the EU's "14th package of sanctions of Russia" as well as stating that Latvia remained "friends of Georgia on its path to the EU." On 24 June, Braže attended the EU FAC in Luxembourg where she said that "significant progress" had been made on "restricting Russia's capabilities" and that the sanctions package contained "vital decisions." She additionally stated that the "new round of sanctions" against Russia was in the "security interests of the EU as a whole."


NATO

On 23 May 2024, Braže met with NATO Secretary General,
Jens Stoltenberg Jens Stoltenberg (; born 16 March 1959) is a Norwegian politician from the Labour Party. Since 2025, he has been the Minister of Finance in the Støre Cabinet. He has previously been the prime minister of Norway and secretary general of NATO. ...
in Brussels. During their meeting, Stoltenberg and Braže focused on the priorities of NATO for the July Washington summit and also the development of the defence capabilities of NATO, as well as support for Ukraine and developing a strategy to counteract Russia. Braže stated that she expected "practical results" regarding NATO "deterrence and defence" and also boosting of the capabilities of NATO's defence industry. She also underlined the importance of all member states contributing 2% of GDP to the alliance, and also described sufficient support for Ukraine as of "critical importance." Braže also met with Assistant Secretaries General David van Weel and Angus Lapsley, and then took part in a meeting of ambassadors to NATO from the Eastern flank of the alliance, and later met with officials from the Public Diplomacy division of NATO. Braže attended the informal meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers on 30 and 31 May, during which she securing a package of support for Ukraine at the Washington summit as a "strategic priority and goal." She also advocated for the strengthening of NATO's defence capabilities, stating that deterrence and defence were "consistent" with NATO's "readiness to respond immediately" and to protect "every square centimetre of the alliance." She also said that by the time of the Washington summit, an "absolute majority" of NATO allies would have reached the target of at least 2% GDP on their defence.


Europe


Russia-Ukraine war

On 26 April 2024, Braže undertook her visit bilateral visit as Foreign Minister which was to
Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russia, which Russia–Ukraine border, borders it to the east and northeast. Ukraine also borders Belarus to the nor ...
. She met with the Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Dmytro Kuleba Dmytro Ivanovych Kuleba ( ; born 19 April 1981) is a Ukrainian politician and diplomat who served as Minister of Foreign Affairs. He was concurrently a member of the National Defense and Security Council of Ukraine. The youngest foreign affai ...
, where she confirmed Latvia's intention to advocate for EU sanctions on Russia. Braže also laid flowers with Kuleba at the Wall of Remembrance in honour of Ukrainian soldiers who had died during the war. She also met with
Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada The chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine () is the presiding officer of the Verkhovna Rada, Ukraine Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the List of European countries by area, second-largest country in Europe after Russi ...
,
Ruslan Stefanchuk Ruslan Oleksiyovych Stefanchuk (; born 29 October 1975) is a Ukrainian politician and lawyer serving as the chairman of the Verkhovna Rada since October 2021. Stefanchuk was touted as the ideologue of Volodymyr Zelenskyy's election campaign in ...
, where she reaffirmed the intention of Latvia to support the reconstruction of Ukraine. Braže met with Prime Minister
Denys Shmyhal Denys Anatoliiovych Shmyhal (, ; born 15 October 1975) is a Ukrainian politician and entrepreneur who has served as the 18th and current prime minister of Ukraine since 2020. Before his appointment as prime minister, Shmyhal was the governor ...
and they discussed the practical steps for Euro-Atlantic integration for Ukraine, as well as meeting the
Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...
for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration,
Olha Stefanishyna Olha Vitaliivna Stefanishyna (, ; born 29 October 1985) is a Ukrainian lawyer and civil servant. She became the deputy prime minister for European and Euro-Atlantic integration on 4 June 2020. On 5 September 2024 Stefanishyna also became mini ...
, and they discussed the integration of Ukraine into the EU. During her visit, she also met with Oleksandr Lytvynenko and visited a restored thermal power plant that had previously damaged in 2022 with Deputy Minister Mykola Kolisnyk. On 10 May, during her visit to
Lithuania Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea, bordered by Latvia to the north, Belarus to the east and south, P ...
, she said that Ukraine was a "priority for all the Baltic states," and the victory of Ukraine was a "common goal" for all of them. On 23 May, after meeting Secretary General Stoltenberg, Braže said that providing "sufficient support" to Ukraine was of "critical importance" and also stated that Ukraine had the right to also "use weapons supplied by the West for strikes at military facilities in the Russian territory from where Russia attacks Ukraine." On 27 May, at the FAC in Brussels, Braže called on countries that were blocking help to Ukraine to "relent" so the "necessary military aid" could be provided to Ukraine. She also stated that the situation in Ukraine "directly correlates" with "security situation in Latvia and also in the European Union," and also said "we will not be safe until Ukraine prevails."


North America


United States

On 21 June 2024, Braže met with the United States Ambassador to Latvia, Christopher T. Robinson, and they discussed holding Russia to account for the War in Ukraine and also the cooperation between Latvia and the United States. Braže thanked the United States for its presence in Latvia and its contribution to strengthening security in the region, as well as calling for further cooperation in defence and deterrence through the increase in NATO forces in the region. Braže and Robinson also discussed the potential for economic cooperation between the two countries and they both agreed to deepen cooperation on trade, amongst other issues.


Canada

On 31 May 2024, at the meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers, Braže had her first meeting with the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Mélanie Joly Mélanie Joly (; born January 16, 1979) is a Canadian politician and lawyer who has been serving as the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, Minister of Industry, Registrar General of Canada, and Minister responsible for the Economic D ...
, in Prague. They discussed the bilateral cooperation between the two countries and support for Ukraine, with Braže thanking Canada for its contribution to the security and defence of Latvia. As they exchanged views on bilateral cooperation, Braže stated that Canada had "always been a strong friend an ally of Latvia" and she thanked Canada for being the "guarantor" of Latvia's security. Braže also welcomed the establishment of the Latvia-Canada cooperation group in the
Parliament of Canada The Parliament of Canada () is the Canadian federalism, federal legislature of Canada. The Monarchy of Canada, Crown, along with two chambers: the Senate of Canada, Senate and the House of Commons of Canada, House of Commons, form the Bicameral ...
and also said that she had "high regard" for Canada's "considerable political, military, humanitarian and financial support" to Ukraine. Braže and Joly also discussed the potential for economic cooperation in various fields including
renewable energy Renewable energy (also called green energy) is energy made from renewable resource, renewable natural resources that are replenished on a human lifetime, human timescale. The most widely used renewable energy types are solar energy, wind pow ...
, with Braže welcoming the economic policy dialogue established between Canada and Latvia in January earlier the same year. On 7 June, Braže met with the Canadian Ambassador to NATO,
David Angell David Lawrence Angell (April 10, 1946 – September 11, 2001) was an American screenwriter and television producer, known for his work in sitcoms. He won multiple Emmy Awards as a ''Cheers'' writer and as the creator and executive producer of t ...
, Ambassador Brian Szwarc and other military officials including Vice Admiral Scott Bishop in Riga to discuss bilateral security cooperation. She described the Canadian presence in Latvia as a "strong political statement" of the "solidarity" of the Allies and of "NATO's unity." During her meeting with Angell, she reiterated the need to support Ukraine and said that there would not be a long term guarantee of peace in the region without the victory of Ukraine in the region.


Personal life

Braže is fluent in Latvian, English, Russian and Dutch. She has said that she used to play
tennis Tennis is a List of racket sports, racket sport that is played either individually against a single opponent (singles (tennis), singles) or between two teams of two players each (doubles (tennis), doubles). Each player uses a tennis racket st ...
and do
pilates Pilates (; ) is a type of mind-body exercise developed in the early 20th century by German physical trainer Joseph Pilates, after whom it was named. Pilates called his method "Contrology". Pilates uses a combination of around 50 repetitive e ...
, and that she enjoys horse riding. Braže is married to Tjaco van den Hout, a former Dutch Ambassador and visiting professorial fellow at the Riga Graduate School of Law. She marks the time when she was ambassador to the Netherlands, driving her car, opening the window and waving to van den Hout, who was on a bicycle, as the beginning of their relationship, despite having met before. They have one daughter together, Brigita, born in August 2005 during Braže's tenure as Ambassador to the Netherlands. When her husband became the Dutch ambassador to
Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...
,
Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...
,
Cambodia Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. It is bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the east, and has a coastline ...
and
Myanmar Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and has ...
, she lived in Thailand, where she studied
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
, language and regional studies from 2008 to 2010 at
Chulalongkorn University Chulalongkorn University (CU; ; , ) is a public university, public Autonomous university, autonomous research university in Bangkok, Thailand. The university was originally founded during King Chulalongkorn's reign as a school for training ro ...
. Her husband recalls an anecdote whereby at a garden party at
Buckingham Palace Buckingham Palace () is a royal official residence, residence in London, and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and r ...
during Braže's tenure as Ambassador to the UK, Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh spoke to them both and once he understood that they were both ambassadors, he remarked that it "must make for interesting pillow talk." On 20 May 2024, Braže participated in a
half marathon A half marathon is a road running event of —half the distance of a marathon. It is common for a half marathon event to be held concurrently with a marathon or a 5K race, using almost the same course with a late start, an early finish, or shortcu ...
fundraiser which collected over 14000 euros in order to purchase military drones for the defence of Ukraine.


Honours

*
Officer of the Legion of Honour The National Order of the Legion of Honour ( ), formerly the Imperial Order of the Legion of Honour (), is the highest and most prestigious French national order of merit, both military and civil. Currently consisting of five classes, it was ...
, 2001 * Grand Officer of the Order of Prince Henry, 2003 * Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau, 2006 * Cross of Recognition, 2nd class, 2008 * Certificate of Recognition,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral r ...
, 2012 * Certificate of Appreciation, Minister of Foreign Affairs, 2015 * Certificate of Recognition, Ministry of Defence, 2018


See also

*
List of current foreign ministers This is a list of current foreign ministers of the 193 United Nations member states as well as the Holy See (Vatican City) and the State of Palestine. Foreign ministers of sovereign countries with limited recognition, some alternative governmen ...
* List of ministers for foreign affairs of Latvia * List of female foreign ministers * Lists of Légion d'honneur recipients


Notes


References


External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Braze, Baiba 1966 births Living people Politicians from Riga 21st-century Latvian women politicians Ministers of foreign affairs of Latvia Ambassadors of Latvia to the Netherlands Ambassadors of Latvia to the United Kingdom Ambassadors of Latvia to Indonesia Permanent representatives of Latvia to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons NATO officials New Unity politicians University of Latvia alumni Grand Crosses of the Order of Prince Henry Baiba Braze Recipients of the Legion of Honour Recipients of the Order of Orange-Nassau Recipients of the Order of Prince Henry University of Groningen alumni Åbo Akademi University alumni Latvian diplomats 21st-century Latvian politicians Female foreign ministers Latvian women ambassadors Women government ministers of Latvia