Laos enjoying increasing success in foreign affairs

Laos has made important steps in regional and international integration, actively participating in international cooperation in the region and worldwide.

These achievements were highlighted at the annual foreign affairs meeting held in Vientiane yesterday.

Laos has diplomatic relations with 140 countries and has 39 diplomatic representative offices, 26 of which are embassies, three are permanent representative offices, nine are general consulates, and one is a consulate office.

These diplomatic representative offices have contributed to political, economic and social diplomacy. They have enabled the promotion of cooperative relations between Laos and foreign countries, protected the interests of Laos, sought assistance from the international community, served to attract foreign investment, and enhanced economic ties.

Laos’ chairmanship of Asean, during which it hosted the 28th and 29th Asean Summits and related meetings, the country’s attendance at the G20 summit in China and G7 in Japan last year, and at the Asean Summit in the Philippines this year, as well as at United Nations meetings and other international meetings, were all highlighted at the meeting.

The Lao People’s Revolutionary Party enjoys relations with 130 political parties worldwide. This is viewed as the successful outcome of the country’s foreign policy, which focuses on peace, independence, friendship, cooperation and the expansion of multilateral and multi-directional cooperation ties through bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

These have brought about a positive escalation in relations between Laos and the great powers. Despite these achievements, the foreign affairs sector was advised to improve its performance following the 13th foreign affairs meeting last year, when officials were asked to adhere to the foreign policy as defined by the Tenth Party Congress with the goals of adhesiveness, astuteness, calmness, and objectiveness.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Saleumxay Kommasith said he agreed with the report on the implementation of foreign affairs matters in the past year and the focus of work in the upcoming year.

He said 2017 had been filled with professionalism in foreign affairs and there had been many overseas visits by high-ranking leaders and officials at various levels.

The joint efforts and solidarity of all officials and civil servants, and the continued responsibility of ministry leaders and employees at lower levels, the close guidance of the Politburo and the Party Central Committee Secretariat and cooperation from other sectors and authorities had led to the ministry’s achievements, Mr Saleumxay said.

He called on officials and civil servants to build on this success and to improve foreign policy by following the Resolution of the Tenth Party Congress and the Resolution of the 13th foreign affairs meeting.