Laos, Singapore agree to strengthen ties
VIENTIANE: The governments of Laos and Singapore have reaffirmed their commitment to building cooperation in key areas including trade and investment, human resource development, food security, clean energy, carbon credits and volunteer programmes, particularly the deployment of Singaporean volunteers to Laos.
The renewed pledge came during an official visit to Singapore on August 11-12 by Laos' Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thongsavanh Phomvihane, at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan.
The two foreign ministers held talks at Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, when they reviewed the progress of past bilateral and multilateral cooperation and discussed directions for future collaboration.
The ministers expressed satisfaction with the steady development of friendly relations and cooperation over the past 51 years, highlighting regular high-level visits and growing people-to-people links as key contributors to strong bilateral ties.
They also acknowledged the success of the 50th anniversary celebration of Laos-Singapore diplomatic relations in 2024, which featured vibrant and meaningful events that reinforced the enduring friendship between the two nations.
In their discussions, the two parties recognised the importance of promoting cooperation across various sectors and committed to strengthening their partnership within regional and international frameworks, including Asean.
On behalf of the Lao government and people, Thongsavanh conveyed sincere gratitude to the government and people of Singapore for their longstanding support, especially in human resource development through numerous training and capacity-building programmes.
He also extended warm congratulations and best wishes to the people of Singapore on the occasion of the country's 60th National Day on August 9, wishing continued peace, prosperity, and success for the nation and its people.
The official visit further reflects the shared commitment of both countries to deepen their friendship and broaden cooperation for mutual benefit and regional stability. - Vientiane Times/ANN
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