Iceland–Latvia relations are the

bilateral relations Bilateralism is the conduct of political, economic, or cultural relations between two sovereign states. It is in contrast to unilateralism or multilateralism, which is activity by a single state or jointly by multiple states, respectively. When ...

between

Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

and

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

. Iceland was the first country to recognize the independence of Latvia in August 1991. Both countries re-established diplomatic relations on 22 August 1991. Neither country has a resident ambassador. Iceland is represented in Latvia through its embassy in

Helsinki Helsinki () is the Capital city, capital and most populous List of cities and towns in Finland, city in Finland. It is on the shore of the Gulf of Finland and is the seat of southern Finland's Uusimaa region. About people live in the municipali ...

Finland Finland, officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It borders Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of Bothnia to the west and the Gulf of Finland to the south, ...

. Latvia is represented in Iceland through its embassy in

Oslo Oslo ( or ; ) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population of 1,064,235 in 2022 ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

and an honorary consulate in Iceland's capital

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

. Both countries are full members of the

Council of the Baltic Sea States The Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS) is a regional intergovernmental organisation working on three priority areas: regional identity; regional safety and security; regional sustainability and prosperity. These three priority areas aim ...

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO ; , OTAN), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental organization, intergovernmental Transnationalism, transnational military alliance of 32 Member states of NATO, member s ...

, and the

Council of Europe The Council of Europe (CoE; , CdE) is an international organisation with the goal of upholding human rights, democracy and the Law in Europe, rule of law in Europe. Founded in 1949, it is Europe's oldest intergovernmental organisation, represe ...

. Additionally, they are both part of the

Nordic-Baltic Eight Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8) is a regional co-operation format that includes Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, and Sweden. Under NB8, regular meetings are held of the Baltic states, Baltic and Nordic countries, Nordic ...

History

On 9 October 2000, Indulis Bērziņš, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, and Kornelius Sigmundsson, Ambassador of the

Republic of Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...

to Latvia signed the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Latvia and the Government of the Republic of Iceland on Co-operation in the Field of Tourism. Bērziņš pointed out that "this is a new sign in the co-operation between Latvia and Iceland" and expressed the support to Latvia's participation in the NATO and integration into the EU. He also positively evaluated co-operation between Iceland and Latvia in the framework of the United Nations. In 2006,

Icelandair Icelandair is the flag carrier of Iceland. Linked from here It is part of the Icelandair Group and operates to destinations on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean from its main airline hub, hub at Keflavík International Airport. Its smaller dom ...

acquired LatCharter Airlines. In January 2009, Latvian President

Valdis Zatlers Valdis Zatlers (; born 22 March 1955) is a Latvian politician and former physician who served as the seventh president of Latvia from 2007 to 2011. He won the Latvian presidential election of 31 May 2007. He became President of Latvia on 8 July ...

presented letters of accreditation to Latvia's new

ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary An ambassador is an official envoy, especially a high-ranking diplomat who represents a state and is usually accredited to another sovereign state or to an international organization as the resident representative of their own government or so ...

to Iceland,

Andris Sekacis Andris is a Latvian masculine given name, a cognate of Andrew, and may refer to: *Andris Ambainis (born 1975), Latvian computer scientist * Andris Ameriks (born 1961) Latvian politician and economist * Andris Andreiko (1942–1976), Latvian worl ...

noting the close and friendly bilateral relationship between Latvia and Iceland which has remained in place since 1991, when Iceland was the first foreign country in the world to recognize Latvia's independence. The President expressed his hope that Sekacis will make a major investment in ensuring that the relationship between Latvia and Iceland continues to be successful.

High level visits

* September 8, 2008 the Icelandic

Minister for Foreign Affairs In many countries, the ministry of foreign affairs (abbreviated as MFA or MOFA) is the highest government department exclusively or primarily responsible for the state's foreign policy and relations, diplomacy, bilateral, and multilateral re ...

Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir Ingibjörg Sólrún Gísladóttir (; born 31 December 1954) is an Icelandic politician from the Social Democratic Alliance who has served as Minister for Foreign Affairs (2007–2009) and leader of the Alliance (2005–2009). She served as rep ...

, had a working visit to Latvia. She had meetings with

Maris Riekstins Maris may refer to: Personal names *Māris (name), a Latvian masculine given name, including a list of people with the name *Maris (given name), including a list of people and mythical or fictional characters *Maris (surname), including a list of ...

and also several Icelandic companies in Riga. * June 7 and June 8, 2006, visit to Iceland by

Aigars Kalvītis Aigars Kalvītis (born 27 June 1966) is a Latvian businessman and a former politician who was the Prime Minister of Latvia from 2004 to 2007. Currently he is the president of Latvian Ice Hockey Federation and the Chairman of the Board of Latvia ...

, the

Prime Minister of Latvia The prime minister of Latvia () is the most powerful member of the Government of Latvia, who presides over the Latvian Cabinet of Ministers. The officeholder is nominated by the president of Latvia, but must be able to obtain the support of a p ...

. * October 24, 2005, visit to Iceland by the Prime Minister of Latvia,

* August 11 to August 13, 2002, State visit to Iceland by

Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga (; born 1 December 1937) is a Latvian politician who served as the sixth president of Latvia from 1999 to 2007. She is the first and to date only woman to hold the post and the most recent to be re-elected for a second ter ...

, the Latvian President. * May 24 to May 27, 2000, official visit to Latvia by the

prime minister of Iceland The prime minister of Iceland () is head of government of the Republic of Iceland. The prime minister is appointed formally by the president of Iceland, president and exercises executive authority along with the Cabinet of Iceland, cabinet subje ...

Davíð Oddsson Davíð Oddsson (pronounced ; born 17 January 1948) is an Icelandic politician, and the longest-serving prime minister of Iceland, in office from 1991 to 2004. From 2004 to 2005 he served as Ministry for Foreign Affairs (Iceland), foreign minis ...

. * April 19, 1999,

Guntis Ulmanis Guntis Ulmanis (born 13 September 1939) is a Latvian politician and the fifth President of Latvia from 1993 to 1999. Biography Early life Guntis Ulmanis was born in Riga on 13 September 1939. His great uncle Kārlis Ulmanis was one of the most ...

, the President of Latvia held a meeting with Olafur Ragnar Grimsson, the

President of Iceland The president of Iceland () is the head of state of Iceland. The incumbent is Halla Tómasdóttir, who won the 2024 Icelandic presidential election, 2024 presidential election. The president is not involved in the running of the country, bu ...

External links

Icelandic embassy in Helsinki (also accredited to Latvia)

Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs about relations with Iceland

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Iceland-Latvia relations

Bilateral relations of Latvia

History

High level visits

See also

External links

References