Latvia’s president ends Azerbaijan trip with formal send-off ceremony

Latvian President Edgars Rinkēvičs has concluded his official visit to Azerbaijan, following talks aimed at expanding bilateral cooperation and reinforcing political dialogue between the two countries.

The visit ended with a formal departure ceremony at Heydar Aliyev International Airport, where a guard of honour was assembled. President Rinkēvičs was seen off by Azerbaijan’s First Deputy Prime Minister Yagub Eyyubov, Deputy Foreign Minister Elnur Mammadov, and other officials, according to domestic media.

The Latvian leader arrived in Azerbaijan on 22 April at the invitation of President Ilham Aliyev. The visit formed part of ongoing high-level engagement between the two countries, which established diplomatic relations in 1994 and continues to cooperate through the Azerbaijan–Latvia Intergovernmental Commission.

During the visit, the two presidents first held a private meeting before leading broader discussions with their delegations. The talks covered a wide range of areas, including trade, energy, transport connectivity, digital development, agriculture, consular affairs, and regional security.

Both sides expressed readiness to expand practical cooperation and deepen economic ties. President Aliyev highlighted the role of the intergovernmental commission and related business forums in strengthening relations. President Rinkēvičs described Azerbaijan as a strategic partner and emphasised Latvia’s interest in further developing political and economic cooperation.

A joint statement was adopted at the conclusion of the talks. In addition, several agreements and memoranda were exchanged, covering cooperation in internal affairs, agriculture, consular services, plant health and protection, as well as border security for the period 2026–2027.

By Tamilla Hasanova