On 25 February 2021, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Latvia to Kazakhstan, Irina Mangule, presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev (Қасым-Жомарт Тоқаев).
During the accreditation ceremony, the President of Kazakhstan congratulated Ambassador Mangule on her arrival in Kazakhstan and, in his speech, addressed prospects for bilateral cooperation, the political dialogue between the two countries, their cooperation in economy and international institutions.
In her statement to the press, Irina Mangule underlined the need for strengthening economic relations with a special focus on transport and transit, and promoting opportunities for cooperation in green technologies, environmental protection, agriculture, tourism and other fields.
At the end of the ceremony, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, extended greetings to the President of Latvia, Egils Levits.
Background information
Irina Mangule began her diplomatic career at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1995. Since then, she has held various posts, including as Head of the International Agreements Division, First Secretary at the Latvian Embassy in Canada, Director of the Legal Department, Consul-General in St Petersburg, Director of the First Bilateral Relations Department, as well as Co-Chair of the Latvia-Belarus and Latvia-Russia Border Demarcation Commissions.
In her new post, Irina Mangule succeeds Jurijs Pogrebņaks, who has served as the Latvian Ambassador to Kazakhstan since 2015.
Latvia and Kazakhstan have established good and friendly relations. A regular political dialogue is ongoing, along with cooperation in transport, transit, culture, science and business. The 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Latvia and Kazakhstan will be celebrated on 10 December 2022.