The President of Latvia expressed his delight on a large number of visitors at the Exhibition and the great interest giving confidence that the export of goods to the Middle East and the Gulf countries had great potential. Raimonds Vējonis outlined that economic cooperation between Latvia and the UAE had developed considerably.
The exports of food products from Latvia to the UAE increased significantly in 2016 while amounting to 9 million euros in a 10-month period.
“Today, we are taking a new step towards facilitation of further cooperation. The visit aims at strengthening bilateral political and economic cooperation. The UAE imports more than 80% of the food consumed in the country that provides great opportunities for Latvian food producers to enter this market while standing out with a different, high-quality offer,” stated Raimonds Vējonis.
During the visit of the President of Latvia, the officials of Latvia and the UAE signed a Memorandum of Understanding on certification of food, which will open wider practical opportunities for the Latvian-produced food reaching the UAE and other countries in the Gulf region.
The Gulfood is among the largest annual exhibitions in the food sector in the world. Latvia’s representation at the exhibition in Dubai has drastically increased, as the total space of the national stands amounted to 200 square metres and 25 enterprises participated therein.
The President of Latvia pays a visit to the UAE from February 25 to February 28, where he also participated in the Latvia-UAE Business Forum and met with the top officials of the UAE. During the visit, where the Ministers of Economics, Agriculture, and Transport, as well as an extensive business delegation accompany Raimonds Vējonis, the legal framework between Latvia and the UAE will be expanded and economic cooperation will be strengthened.