Diplomatic relations between Latvia and Bahrain were established on 27 March 2000, by Janis Priedkalns, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Latvia to the United Nations headquarters in New York, and Jassim Mohammed Buallay, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the United Nations headquarters in New York.

Latvia and Bahrain enjoy friendly bilateral relations; the geographical distance, however, is a factor that presently hinders a more dynamic development of the relations between both countries.

Between 7 - 12 October 2004, the Minister of Defence, Artis Slakteris, took part in the defence ministers meeting of countries involved in the international peacekeeping mission to Iraq, which took place in the Kingdom of Bahrain. The Latvian Defence Minister also had an audience with the King and Crown Prince of Bahrain.

On 4 - 6 April 2005, a delegation led by Normans Penke, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Latvia, took part in the 15^th Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting between the European Union and the member states of the Gulf Co-operation Council in Bahrain.

Economic relations between Latvia and Bahrain

The trade turnover volumes between the two countries are insignificant, although Latvia has a positive trade balance with Bahrain.

In 2006, Latvian exports to Bahrain amounted to USD 62,000, ranking it 130^th among Latvia's export partners. For comparison, the respective figure for 2005 was USD 84,000 and for 2004 - USD 23,000.

In 2006, Latvian import from Bahrain constituted USD 589; no import was registered in 2004 and 2005. The share of trade in the total export and import is 0%.

Principal Latvian export commodities to Bahrain are as follows:

• miscellaneous manufactured goods (60%)
• mineral products (33%)
• machinery, equipment and electrical appliances (3%)

In 2007 (as in the years before) Bahrain has not made investments in the equity of Latvian - registered companies. Also no Bahraini-Latvian joint ventures were listed with the Register of Enterprises of the Republic of Latvia.