The Ministry of Defence of Latvia is a leading state administrative institution in the field of defence and is directly subordinate to the Minister of Defence. The primary mission of the Ministry is to secure national independence and territorial indivisibility and ensure the safety of Latvian citizens. The Ministry of Defence develops and provides the implementation of the National Defence Policy, coordinates the policy in the areas of geodesy, cartography, and geo-spatial information, as well as in the areas of military education and research. Since the first conference in 2006, the Ministry of Defence has been one of the organisers of this important forum.