Thursday 21 July 2016

LATVIA: Ethiopia And Latvia To Develop Cooperation In Tourism

Ambassador Marģers Krams, the Head of the Bilateral Relations Directorate at the Foreign Ministry, met with the Ambassador of Ethiopia to Latvia, Teshome Toga Chanaka, who was on a visit in Latvia.

Both diplomats emphasised that the Memorandum of Understanding between the Foreign Ministries of Latvia and Ethiopia signed during the meeting is a major step in the promotion of the political dialogue. Intention was expressed of organizing the next consultation between the Foreign Ministries as well as facilitating parliamentary cooperation. The Ambassador of Ethiopia also noted his interest in fostering business contacts between the two countries and named tourism, transport and logistics, and investments as priority areas.

Marģers Krams emphasised that Latvia’s businessmen regard Africa as one of the directions for diversification of their exports, and therefore, strengthening of Latvian-Ethiopian economic relations is an important area of mutual cooperation. Cooperation in international organisations was also discussed, as were the regional and global questions of current importance, including developments in the Horn of Africa, Syria and Libya, relations between the EU and Ethiopia, migration, development cooperation, and the fight against terrorism.

As part of his visit, the Ambassador of Ethiopia also met with Ojārs Ēriks Kalniņš, the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima (the Latvian Parliament), and will meet with Mārtiņš Perts, the Advisor on Foreign Affairs at the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. On 21 January, the Ethiopian Ambassador Teshome Toga Chanaka in cooperation with the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry are organizing a meeting with Latvian tour operators to present Ethiopia as a travel destination.

Diplomatic relations between Latvia and Ethiopia were established on 11 March 2008. The non-resident Ambassador of Ethiopia to Latvia, Teshome Toga Chanaka, was accredited in Latvia on 26 July 2014. The Ambassador resides in Brussels, Belgium.

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