Deputy Foreign Minister of Republic of South Africa on a working visit in Latvia

On 12 October, Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa Susan van der Merwe concluded her working visit in Riga. This was the highest level visit by a South African official to Latvia in recent years.

During her stay in Riga, Deputy Minister Merwe met with Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima, Solvita Aboltina, and Chairman of the Saeima Foreign Affairs Commission, Andris Berzins.

During the visit, the parties discussed further expansion of bilateral co-operation including the formation of the legal framework and the visa regime abolishment for the citizens of the Republic of Latvia. Deputy Foreign Minister recognised that granting to Latvia the travel conditions equal to those of other Schengen area countries would be well-grounded and would provide a direct contribution to the development of bilateral relations.

At the Saeima, the officials discussed parliamentary co-operation which already has a solid background: the Latvian MPs take part in the activities of the Interparliamentary Working Group as well as in the Association of European Parliamentarians for Africa.

Currently the most active co-operation takes place in the fields of tourism and culture. Dancers of the Latvian National Opera Elza Leimane and Raimonds Martinovs have been successful in ballet competitions hosted by South Africa, and the boys' choir of J.Medins Music School has given concerts in the country.

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 4 November 1991, both countries have developed friendly and stable relations. In 1991, the Foreign Minister of the Republic of South Africa, Roelof Frederic Bota, was on an official visit in Latvia.

The Ambassador of South Africa resides in Stockholm.

Latvia is represented in the Republic of South Africa (Gauteng Province) by Honorary Consul Hanoch Neishlos.

It should be noted that the Republic of South Africa is the leading member country in the Southern African Development Community.

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