On 27–28 February 2020, the non-resident Ambassador of Latvia to the Republic of South Africa (RSA), Raimonds Jansons, and Counsellor, Head of the Consular Legal Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dagnija Lāce-Ate, were on a working visit in the RSA. During the visit, meetings took place with officials from the Consular Services Directorate and the Central and Eastern Europe, Baltic and Nordic Directorate of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of RAS, officials from the Department of Justice and Consular Development, as well as the leadership of the Delegation of the European Union to South Africa and the Embassy of the Republic of Lithuania.
In response to Latvia’s call for establishing a legal instrument that would enable a more effective cooperation between officials and an alignment of provisions under differing legal systems, the RSA officials agreed to continue negotiations on the conclusion of an agreement on legal assistance between the two countries to the extent possible. The current practice of the RSA has been to refrain from signing legal assistance agreements in criminal matters.
The Latvian and South African officials agreed to resume talks on an intergovernmental agreement on exemption of visa requirements for holders of diplomatic and service passports, which would considerably facilitate building a broader cooperation between the two countries.
Speaking about the possibility of introduction of a visa-free travel to the RSA for Latvian nationals, South African officials informed the Latvian side that there are plans to simplify the process of receiving a visa in the coming years through rolling out an eVisa system. The system will also be extended to the EU Member States nationals, including those of Latvia, who need a visa to enter South Africa.
Practical arrangements for ensuring successful consular assistance to Latvian nationals in South Africa were also discussed.
The parties exchanged views on possibilities for mutual support in international organisations and on shared interests in international and regional cooperation formats, with a special focus on issues of global relevance such as respect for international law, reducing income inequality and promoting women’s equality.
During the visit, the necessary preparations and arrangements were made for resuming Latvia’s representation in the RSA at the level of honorary consuls.