Today, Friday 20, the Minister of Transport Aivis Ronis’ visit to the United States of America continues. As part of the visit Ronis discuses Latvia’s potential in organizing ISAF contingent freight from Afghanistan with state and private sector representatives, as well as Latvia’s participation in the commercialization of this corridor’s logistics after the end of the military mission.

Aivis Ronis

As Ronis noted in his conversation with the U.S. Minister of Transport Ray LaHood: «The Northern Distribution Network has become a successful story of USA’s and EU’s partnership with Russia and Central Asian countries – both on an interstate and company level. Thanks to this originally military project, the countries involved now have an opportunity to create and develop new commercially long term freight corridors.»

In order to discuss the future potential of this corridor, the minister participates in the cooperation of Latvian and Russian embassies in USA with the European Institute organized seminar, with the participation of high-level State Department, Department of Transportation, EU mission officials and international logistics company representatives, Ministry of Transport reports.

Also, the minister performed two sided meetings with the U.S. Transportation Secretary, Deputy Minister of Defense and the Pentagon’s logistics specialists, the Defense Logistics Agency and Transport Management Command, as well as private logistics companies to inform them of Latvia’s readiness and advantages in attracting Afghanistan reverse freight, using multi modular resolutions. The minister especially stressed the role of Afghanistan transit, popularizing Latvia as an integrated logistics platform, which is based on the close and coordinated cooperation of all four transport areas – water, land, air and communications. The cooperation partners gave Latvia high praise for our previous investment.

Ronis also met with companies of different industrial areas during his working visit, companies that could interested in using Latvia as a logistic platform for supplies to Russia, CIS and Central Asia.

In turn, while learning of the U.S. experience in cyber defense, as well as of the usage of information technology and community involvement in crime prevention, the Minister of Transport Ronis visited the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI).

Ronis’ visit concludes on Sunday, April 21 in Chicago where he has scheduled meetings with a number of U.S. carrier and freight airlines, as well as the Board of Boeing. Boeing is one of two candidates in the airBaltic’s fleet renewal tender.

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