1. Client’s and Country Office’s View on Latvian Cities Network Project
Dina Grube, Latvia Country Office Manager

3. Latvia – new EU Member state since May 1, 2004
GDP per capita in PPS (in relation to EU25=100)
GNI per capita ( WB Atlas Method) – 4070 USD
Average registered unemployment (EU25 = 9)
in Riga – 4.4%, in Liepaja %
Population – 2.32 million
urban – 69%, rural – 31%

4. CA Latvia Program Cities
Population
GDP %
Riga
53.8
Daugavpils
4.4
Liepaja
3.8
Jelgava
2.1
Jurmala
1.6
Ventspils
4.3
Rezekne
1.3
Valmiera
1.9
50 % of Latvia
73.2 % of Latvia

5. CA Latvia Program Includes 8 biggest Latvian cities
CA budget USD ( total USD – facilitates use of local staff/consultants)
Focus of CDS program:
LED - enterprise growth and job creation
Improved governance – partnerships between local governments and civil society
Capacity building within planning teams, also through networking process

6. CA Latvia Program Outputs
Reports :
Rapid Municipal Data Assessment for 8 cities ministate of Cities Report
CDS for 5 cities (2 cities had from Cities of Change program, capital Riga on its own schedule)
Sector strategies ( employment, marketing)
Processes
Stakeholder participation- citizen forums – community foundations
Training of municipal employees – LED, CIP, EU funds
Networking of city development teams

7. CA Latvia Program Outputs
Publications
Linkages :
to NDP or SPD 1 Program
to SPD Program – ongoing cooperation with Ministries of Regional Planning and Finance responsible for strategic planning of national development

8. SPD 2004 – 2006 –Chasing EU funds
Promotion of rural areas and fisheries:
EAGGF million Euro, FIFG million Euro
Development of Human Resources and Employment Promotion
ESF million Euro
Promotion of Enterprises and Innovation
Promotion of Territorial Cohesion ( tourism, transport infrastructure, communication technologies and soft infrastructure)
ERDF million Euro

9. SPD Chasing Growth?
The National Development Plans under preparation for should be improved relative to existing plans
In addition to rapid growth (external convergence), countries also aim for balanced regional development (internal convergence), but there may be a trade-off in the medium term.
EU aid and national co-financing should be directed toward the highest long-run economic returns. This likely includes investment in human capital and key infrastructure projects, particularly in support of emerging, market driven growth poles

10. CA Latvia Cities Program – Enabling Cities Growth
Enabling central government – to have understanding of local economic development processes and have negotiating power in discussions with EU about designing of urban components for next programming period
Enabling local authorities – to have CDS promoting city competitiveness and becoming part of national development strategy
Enabling civil society – to form partnerships with local authorities in order to incorporate developmental objectives of society into CDS