MONGOLIA AND LATVIA TRANSPORT IN 2019 UNDER DISCUSSION

Ulaanbaatar /MONTSAME/ According to a report, Mongolia has established Intergovernmental Agreement on International road transport with nine countries: Russia, China, Ukraine, Belarus, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Latvia, North Korea and Kyrgyzstan, transporting 33 million tons of freight and about 190 thousand passengers a year. On June 13, Officials of Road Transport Policy Implementation and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Road and Transport Development S.Batbold representatives of Ministry of Transport of Latvia headed by the Deputy Director of Road Transport department of the Ministry Annija Novikova and exchanged views on increasing the volume of freight, passenger transportation and the use of permission. At the meeting, the sides agreed on transportation between Mongolia and Latvia in 2019 and Mongolian side expressed willingness to study Latvia’s experience on coordination of transit transportation and train relevant staff within the preparation of the Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport along the Asian Highway Network. Mongolia and Latvia had trade turnover of USD 1619 thousand in 2016. Mongolia exported products such as knitwear, equipment and bed covers worth SD 32,8 thousand and imported canned products, frozen vegetables, medicines, nitrogen fertilizers and mobile communication devices worth USD 1586. "The current transportation volume between Mongolia and Latvia is low, but Mongolia is holding talks with Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary on establishing Intergovernmental Agreement on International Road Transport. By establishing transportation agreement with these countries, the volume of transport between the two countries will increase by certain amount." said Mr. S.Batbold, Head of Road Transport Policy Implementation and Coordination Department of the Ministry of Road and Transport Development during the meeting. He introduced Mongolian road transportation sector industry, informing that the road transportation sector performs about 58 per cent of total freight transportation and 98 per cent of passenger transportation. Mining product transportation including coal, oil, iron ore, copper and zinc concentrate makes up over 90 percent of the total international road freight transport. Mongolia provides passenger transport service in 10 routes with Russia, China and Kazakhstan. M.Anudari