Azerbaijan—Latvia relations

Azerbaijan—Latvia relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Latvia in the political, socio-economic, and cultural spheres.

Azerbaijan–Latvia relations

Azerbaijan
Latvia

The two countries cooperate at the level of governments, parliaments, local authorities, etc.[1]

Diplomatic relations

The government of Azerbaijan recognized the independence of Latvia on August 30, 1991. The government of Latvia recognized the independence of Azerbaijan on January 8, 1992.[2]

Diplomatic relations between Azerbaijan and Latvia were established on January 11, 1994.[2]

Since 2005, Azerbaijan has had a representative office in Riga, just as Latvia has an Embassy in Baku.[2]

The Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan is Dainis Garancs.[3] Javanshir Akhundov is the Representative of Azerbaijan in Latvia.

Legal framework: 43 documents have been signed between Azerbaijan and Latvia.[4]

In July 2017, a document signing ceremony was held.

  1. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and President of Latvia Raimond Vejonis signed the "Joint Declaration on the establishment of strategic partnership between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Latvia".
  2. Co-chair of the Latvian-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Commission on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation from the Azerbaijani side; Minister of Ecology and Natural resources Huseyngulu Bagirov and Minister of Transport of Latvia Uldis Augulis signed a "Memorandum of understanding on international combined cargo transport between the Ministry of Transport, Communications and High Technologies of Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Latvia".
  3. Co-chair of the Latvian-Azerbaijani Intergovernmental Commission on economic, scientific, technical and cultural cooperation from the Azerbaijani side; Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyngulu Bagirov and Minister of Education and Science of Latvia Kelis Shadurskis signed the "Agreement on cooperation between the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Latvia in the field of state control over construction safety".
  4. Minister of education of Azerbaijan Mikail Jabbarov and Minister of education and science of Latvia Kelis Shadurskis signed the "Agreement on cooperation between the Government of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Government of the Republic of Latvia in the field of education".[5]

Inter-parliamentary relations

The Latvian-Azerbaijani inter-parliamentary cooperation group operates in the Parliament of Latvia. The head of the group is Oleg Denisov.

The Azerbaijani-Latvian Inter-parliamentary working group of the Azerbaijani Parliament (Milli Majlis) consists of 6 members. The team leader is Gultekin Hajiyeva.[6]

Economic cooperation

In 2017, industry agreements were signed on joint activities in a number of areas: education, transport, and construction supervision.[7]

Since July 23, 2018, the Azerbaijan Trading house has been operating in Riga.[1][8][9]

The volume of mutual trade in the first half of 2018 amounted to 15.5 million euros, which indicates an increase in trade volume by 20% compared to 2017.[1]

Latvian companies in Azerbaijan are implemented in such areas as finance, consulting, jurisdiction, transport, logistics, mechanical engineering, information technology, telecommunications, architecture, food production, pharmaceuticals, tourism, education, and so on.[1]

There are investments in a number of areas, such as wholesale trade, transport, consulting and others.[1]

Azerbaijan exports fruit and vegetable products, melons, processed agricultural products and so on to Latvia. In turn, livestock products, meat and dairy products, etc. are imported from Latvia to Azerbaijan.[10][11]

It is planned to conclude a number of agreements in the field of veterinary medicine and phytosanitary.[10]

During the negotiations between the Chairman of the State Customs Committee Safar Mekhtiev and the Extraordinary Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan Juris Maklakov, in 2018, it was stated that it was necessary to conclude an agreement on the exchange of primary information.[12]

In 2019, a State-owned joint-stock company called "Latvian railway" offered the management of the closed joint-stock company "Azerbaijan Railways" to join the "Bison" project. The essence of the project is to export and transit goods to Latvia from Azerbaijan.[13]

Joint production of textile products is planned.[14]

Trade turnover

Year Export Import
1999 1,169,164 1,630,873
2000 781,730 899,502
2001 632,567 458,874
2002 563,303 1,562,362
2003 1,314,838 762,991
2004 3,057,788 912,491
2005 4,134,063 2,428,015
2006 7,583,390 1 941,920
First half of 2007 3,714,198 870,769

Azerbaijan has invested 164 million US dollars in Latvia. Latvia has invested about 84 million US dollars in Azerbaijan.

Trade turnover (in millions of US dollars)[4]

Year Trade turnover Import Export Balance
2015 9142.5 8342 800.5 -7541.9
2016 8,7 7,9 0,8 -7,1
2017 15,62 13,32 2,3 -11,29
2018 22,39 19,88 2,51 17,37

In 2007, there were 21 joint Azerbaijani-Latvian companies.[6][15] Currently their number exceeds 40.[4]

According to the United Nations trade office (COMTRADE) statistics, in 2019 Azerbaijan imported carpets and other textile floor coverings from Latvia in the amount of 127 US dollars.

High-level visits
  1. In November 1996, a meeting was held between the Foreign Ministers of both countries.
  2. On July 8, 1997, President of Latvia Quintis Ulmanis met with President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev in the framework of the NATO Summit held in Madrid.
  3. On September 10, 1999, President of Latvia Vair Vike-Freiberg met with President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev during the Yalta conference in Ukraine.
  4. On May 25, 2000, Latvian foreign Minister Indulisa Berzins met with Azerbaijani foreign Minister Elmar Mammadyarov during a meeting of the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council in Florence.
  5. On November 9, 2000, a meeting was held between Latvian foreign Minister Indulis Berzins and Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Vilayat Guliyev during a meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Strasbourg.
  6. On January 2–5, 2001, Latvian foreign Minister Indulis Berzins visited Azerbaijan.
  7. In March 2004, political consultations were held in Baku between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries.
  8. On August 15–16, 2005, Azerbaijani Defense Minister Safar Abiyev paid an official visit to Latvia.
  9. October 3–4, 2005, the President of Latvia Vair Vike-Freiberg was in Baku on an official visit.
  10. On June 2–4, 2006, the Chairman of the Milli Majlis of Azerbaijan Ogtay Asadov paid an official visit to Latvia.
  11. President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev paid a state visit to Azerbaijan on October 3–5, 2006.
  12. On April 16–18, 2007, Latvian foreign Minister Artis Pabriks visited Azerbaijan.[6]

Tourism

There is a direct air link between Azerbaijan and Latvia.[16]

In February 2017, Elmar Mammadyarov and Latvian Foreign Minister Edgar Rinkevich signed an agreement on visa exemption for service passport holders.[17]

International cooperation

In the international arena, cooperation between countries is carried out within the framework of various international organizations: the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Black sea economic cooperation organization, etc.[2]

Since 1988, the Association of culture "Latvia-Azerbaijan" ("AZERI") has been operating in Riga.[18] The Legal basis of this society is the laws "on public organizations and associations" and "on the free development of national and ethnic groups of Latvia and their right to cultural autonomy", as well as the Constitution of the Republic of Latvia.[19]

In 2016, the cultural and information center "Corner of Azerbaijan" was opened in the academic library of the University of Latvia.[4]

In 2018, seven Azerbaijanis participated in various programs of the Riga higher law school on European law and Economics.[1]

Currently, more than 170 students from Azerbaijan study at higher educational institutions in Latvia.[20]

Other areas

In January 2020, the Minister of Transport, Communications and High technologies of Azerbaijan, Ramin Guluzade, met with the Ambassador of Latvia to Azerbaijan, Dainis Garancs. During the meeting, prospects for cooperation in the field of telecommunications, Information and communication technologies (ICT), high technologies, air cargo delivery, etc. were discussed.[21]

See also

References
  1. Vzglayd.az. "Азербайджан и Латвия. Что объединяет наши страны? – Глава МИД Латвии отвечает на вопросы Vzglyad.Az" (in Russian). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  2. "Latviya". October 1, 2009. Archived from the original on October 10, 2009. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  3. "Назначен новый посол Латвии в Азербайджане". Информационное Агентство Репорт (in Russian). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  4. "Latvia". mfa.gov.az. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  5. APA.az. "Azerbaijan, Latvia sign joint declaration on strategic partnership" (in Azerbaijani). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  6. "Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia: Relations between Latvia and Azerbaijan". June 2, 2008. Archived from the original on June 21, 2008. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  7. "Вейонис: Латвия хочет укреплять сотрудничество с Азербайджаном". EADaily (in Russian). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  8. "Министр: Латвия может способствовать дистрибуции азербайджанских товаров в Северной Европе (Эксклюзив)". Trend.Az (in Russian). September 9, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  9. ""Торговый Дом" Азербайджана в Латвии | AzPromo". azpromo.az. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  10. "Подписан меморандум о взаимопонимании о сотрудничестве между министерствами сельского хозяйства Азербайджана и Латвии". azertag.az (in Russian). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  11. "Экспортная миссия Азербайджана отправится в Латвию". Minval.az (in Russian). April 5, 2019. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  12. "Azerbaijan-Latvia".
  13. "Латвия приглашает Азербайджан присоединиться к проекту Зубр". www.massa.az. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  14. "Латвия и Азербайджан планируют создать совместное текстильное производство". CBC.AZ. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  15. MENAFN. "Ambassador: Latvia eyes more investors from Azerbaijan to its ports, logistic hubs". menafn.com. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  16. "Азербайджан и Латвия наращивают туристическое сотрудничество". Trend.Az (in Russian). November 2, 2017. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  17. "Azerbaijan, Latvia sign deal on visa exemption for service passports holders". Visa-free Europe Coalition. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  18. "Азербайджан занимает существенное место во внешней политике Латвии и ЕС". www.anl.az. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  19. "AZERI" (in Russian). Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  20. "Opportunities and the reality of beneficial cooperation between Latvia and Azerbaijan are supported through executed projects | Newtimes.az – Analytical Information Portal". newtimes.az. Retrieved September 18, 2020.
  21. "Азербайджан и Латвия обсудили сотрудничество в сфере ИКТ | Информационный портал Москва-Баку". moscow-baku.ru. Retrieved September 18, 2020.

Embassy of Azerbaijan to Latvia Embassy of Latvia to Azerbaijan Association of culture "Latvia-Azerbaijan"

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