Latvia, Kenya mull air service agreement

Kenyan and Latvian governments are set to commence talks on signing a bilateral air service agreement, officials said on Wednesday.

Visiting Latvia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs State Secretary Andrejs Pildegovics told a media briefing in Nairobi that the agreement will permit airlines to operate direct flights between the two nations.

"The air service agreement will help to boost trade and commercial ties between the two countries by reducing cost of doing business," Pildegovics said.

"Latvia is ready to sign the agreement as part of plans to enhance direct links between Kenya and Latvia," he said during a meeting with the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, a trade lobby.

Air Baltic, which is Latvia's national airline currently, travels to 89 destinations globally but none in Africa. Pildegovics said that Latvia's capital city of Riga is already a regional aviation hub in Baltic region.

"We want to partner with Kenya because it is also a region aviation hub in East and Central Africa," he added.

The State Secretary noted that Kenya already has strong partnerships with most member states of European Union, of which Latvia is a member.

"But now we want to strengthen direct links so that we fully exploit the trade potential," he added.

Data from Latvian government indicates that total bilateral trade between Kenya and Latvia hit 22 million Euros in 2016.

The trade was in favor of Latvia and the European nation exported wheat and meslin, articles of machinery, as well as electrical appliances to Kenya, while the East African nation's exports included tea, fruits and nuts. Endit