Riga nowadays

Riga has always been the city with strong development potential and today it still remains the engine for the national economic growth, as one of the most significant players in the BSR market. Nowadays development of the transport sector and large public infrastructure projects, as well as attraction of investment and strengthening the relationship between the West-East and the North - South have been set forward as the key priorities of the city. Riga is the centre of a well-developed transportation and communications infrastructure that includes railways, roads, pipelines, port facility and the airport, all ofthem having a great capacity forfurther growth and development. The city fulfils the function of the transportation hub supporting the link between the Eastern and European markets. The advantages of Riga over the neighbouring ports in terms of distance provide the most favourable conditions for the development of economic relations.

Thanks to the developed motor-road and railway network, the Riga Port is directly linked to the main consumption centres and extraction-processing regions of Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). Presently up to 80% of the cargoes handled at the Riga Port are transit cargoes to Russia and the CIS states.

In 2008 the cargo turnover at the Riga Port has reached more than 29 thousand tons and the further increase of cargo turnover plays enormous importance for the city economic development. Fulfilment of the Riga Northern Transport Corridor project will additionally provide possibility to connect the Riga Port to the road network of European significance and increase the competitiveness of the East-West transport corridor in Latvia.

Riga has the largest international aviation company in the Baltics and the main air traffic centre in the region - the Riga International Airport that renders both- aviation and non-aviation services, at- tending national, as well as international airlines. It is one of the few European airports that services full -serviceand low costs airlines simultaneously. In 2008 RIGA International Airport attended 3.6 million passengers, which is 16.8 percent more than in 2007. In the first six months of 2009 the number of passengers welcomed at Riga International Airport has grown by approximately 10 % year on year. This year the Riga International Airport has been awarded the prestigious RoutesandOAG Airport Marketing Award in Europe as the best airport in Scandinavia. This prestigious award serves as a proof for the successful development of the relationship with airline partners.

Accessibility of the city has enhanced its attractiveness for being a place to meet and share viewpoints, to feel the atmosphere of personal freedom and global thinking. In 2010 it is scheduled to host the Mayors'meeting of the European Union, CIS and other partner cities. Within the framework of this event there will be discussions on the role of municipalities in preventing and combating the consequences of world economic crisis and establishing the new ways of long-term partnership.