Latest news with #VTVIENTIANE
The Star
6 days ago
- Business
- The Star
Laos and Singapore agree to strengthen ties
Lao Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane (left) greeting his Singaporean counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan during his official visit to Singapore from Aug 11-12. - VT 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 Star
08-08-2025
- Business
- The Star
Laos aims to boost farming, cut imports
A farmer in Viengkham district harvests coffee cherries from her farm. - VT VIENTIANE: Laos continues its efforts to boost agricultural production for domestic and export markets by improving access to capital for agricultural entrepreneurs, with the goal of reducing imports. The Lao Agribusiness Association and the Lao Microfinance Association have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on technical cooperation to promote the production of goods for domestic consumption and export, aiming to reduce imports, according to the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LNCCI) on Thursday (Aug 7).
The Star
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Laos and Vietnam agree to deepen bilateral ties
Saleumxay Kommasith (right) welcoming Nguyen Chi Dung. - VT VIENTIANE: Laos and Vietnam have agreed to step up joint efforts in key areas of cooperation, laying the groundwork for stronger political and economic ties in the years ahead. The agreement was made during an official visit by Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Chi Dung to Laos from July 9-11, during which he met with Lao leaders and held talks. As part of the visit, the two countries signed a revised protocol on electricity and coal trade, reaffirming their strategic partnership in the energy sector. Deputy PM Dung and his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith witnessed the signing of the protocol and held talks, pledging to accelerate uncompleted cooperation projects, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release. The two sides will work together to realise infrastructure projects, including the construction of the planned Vientiane-Hanoi expressway, and other cooperation projects. Looking ahead, the two leaders pledged to prepare a new Laos-Vietnam cooperation agreement for 2026–2030 and to coordinate major diplomatic events and joint celebrations. The Deputy Prime Ministers reviewed the progress made in strengthening political relations, as well as cooperation in defence and security. They also highlighted growing collaboration in education, human resource development, and trade. In addition, they assessed the implementation of joint investment projects and the grant aid provided to Laos by the Vietnamese Party and state. Deputy PM Dung paid courtesy visits to President Thongloun Sisoulith and Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on Wednesday, aimed at further deepening the longstanding friendly relations, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam. Prime Minister Sonexay proposed that both sides continue to support ongoing and pending projects to ensure their timely and successful completion. The two countries should continue to strengthen cooperation in national defence and security, economic development, and the energy sector, by fulfilling cooperation agreements to ensure they are effective and appropriate, he said. Prime Minister Sonexay called for enhanced trade and investment cooperation over the next five years to promote economic integration. He also underscored the need to maintain reciprocal visits at all levels of government as part of continuing efforts to deepen ties. - Vientiane Times/ANN
The Star
20-06-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Laos and Thailand join forces to curb drug trafficking
Commander of the Border Troops of the Lao People's Army, Major General Ounkham Sihongvongsak (right), and his Thai counterpart displaying signed Memorandums of Understanding on border security. - VT VIENTIANE: Top military and border security officials from Laos and Thailand have reaffirmed their commitment to joint efforts in combating drug trafficking and maintaining peace along theirshared border. The pledge came during the 6th Thai-Laos and Lao-Thai Summit held at the Savannakhet Provincial Government Office in Laos, co-chaired by the Commander of the Border Troops of the Lao People's Army, Major General Ounkham Sihongvongsak, and his Thai counterpart. The meeting was convened to discuss the implementation of activities in accordance with the regulations and the minutes of the previous meeting of the Working Group to prevent and resolve drug problems along the Lao-Thai border. Several important agreements were reached, aimed at ensuring that the border area remains peaceful, orderly, and free from drug-related issues. Cooperation at the central, local, and provincial levels has been strengthened to coordinate solutions and crack down on drug-related incidents. These efforts have led to significant successes, including the confiscation of large quantities of illegal drugs and the arrest of major traffickers. Such achievements reflect the deepening friendly relations and effective cooperation between the two nations and their respective armed forces, turning longstanding commitments into reality. The two sides agreed to formulate a more consistent and effective plan to combat the drug problem, with the goal of transforming the border area into one of peace, friendship, stability, and collaboration. This approach aligns with regional, sub-regional, and international trends and is expected to create an environment that is conducive to building communities that are free from drug abuse. Enhanced peace and stability in border areas will assist the citizens of both countries to earn a living, conduct business, engage in tourism, and travel in comfort and safety. The Lao-Thai border is largely demarcated by the Mekong River, which passes through nine provinces in Laos and borders 12 provinces in Thailand. Sustained cooperation is essential for addressing cross-border issues such as drug trafficking, illegal trade and other challenges, with the goal of reducing and ultimately eliminating them. At the close of the meeting, the co-chairing committees signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the reinforcement ofcooperation and sharing of information to address drug issues in the border area. Meanwhile, the Border Coordination Unit inKhammuan province and the Border Coordination Unit of Thailand's Nakhon Phanom province recently conducted the 3rd joint water patrol exercise at the 3rd Lao-Thai Friendship Bridge. This exercise aimed to ensure the two units were adequately prepared to crack down ondrug trafficking, other forms of smuggling, illegal border crossings, and other border crimes. - Vientiane Times/ANN
The Star
03-06-2025
- Business
- The Star
First mango shipment from Laos to China signals agricultural trade era
The Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh (centre), leading a ribbon-cutting ceremony on May 30 to mark the formal send-off of Laos' first mango shipment to China. - VT VIENTIANE: Ninety tonnes of fresh mangoes from Laos have been despatched to Chinese markets, which are anticipated to have a total demand for 1,500 tonnes of the fruit. The ceremony marking the inaugural shipment, held on May 30, was a milestone for Laos's agricultural sector. Laos celebrated the departure of its first shipment of fresh mangoes, equivalent to three truckloads, to China. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr Linkham Douangsavanh, senior economic and commercial counsellors from the Chinese Embassy in Laos, and officials and representatives from both countries. The historic export marked a significant step in strengthening agricultural cooperation between Laos and China. It followed the 2023 agreement by both governments allowing the export of fresh Lao mangoes to Chinese markets, a deal that opened the door to expanded trade and investment opportunities. Speaking at the event, the Director General of the Department of Agriculture under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Bounchan Kombounyasith, highlighted the importance of meeting stringent plant health and hygiene standards while preparing the shipment. 'We are prioritising the promotion of high-potential agricultural products that meet international market demands,' he said, adding that such efforts aim to reduce import reliance, conserve foreign currency, and encourage value-added processing for exports. Zhang Ziyong, who represented Henan Changjiu Agricultural Technology Co Ltd, shared insights on the scale of mango cultivation in Laos. 'Mango farming has seen rapid growth, with a total cultivated area of 2,248 hectares across Laos in 2023. This partnership not only benefits local farmers but also enhances regional trade integration,' he said. He said exports of mangoes from Laos are anticipated to grow to 1,500 tonnes in the years to come. To date, Laos and China have officially agreed on 35 plant health and quarantine protocols. Laos's agricultural production has been on an upward trend, touching 11.09 million tonnes in 2024, a 14 percent increase over the previous year. Major contributors to this growth include crops such as hard maize, sugarcane, cassava, bananas, watermelons and coffee. Commercial crop cultivation too has demonstrated impressive results, with an estimated output of 9.71 million tonnes, or 99 per cent of an ambitious 9.75 million tonne target for 2024, according to a report presented at the first Lao Agri Expo last year. The value of agriculture and forestry exports exceeded US$1,214 million in the first nine months of 2024, surpassing the approved target of US$1,200 million by one per cent. As the trucks rolled out, carrying the fruits of Lao soil towards new international markets, the moment underscored a broader vision: Laos is emerging as a key player in regional agritrade, leveraging its natural resources to strengthen economic ties and uplift rural livelihoods. - Vientiane Times/ANN
