As an invitation of His Excellency Mr. Saleumxay KOMMASITH, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, His Excellency Mr. Xavier BETTEL, Vice Prime Minister, Minister for Foreign and European Affairs and Foreign Trade, Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Kingdom of Luxembourg led the delegates to pay the Working Visit to the Lao PDR on February 05-09, 2024, with the aim of further strengthening the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Mr. Saleumxay KOMMASITH and his counterpart Mr. Xavier BETTEL held talks in Vientiane on Thursday morning, 08^th February 2024, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR. Two sides agreed to enhance collaboration in economics, trade and investment based on the potential offered by their respective countries. The ministers stressed the need to encourage businesses and investors from both countries to consolidate partnerships in areas with potential, notably tourism, hotels and services, the processing industry and agriculture.

The government of Luxembourg vowed to continue to support Laos in the capacity building of doctors by sending medical specialists from Europe to train Lao doctors as well as providing medical equipment and building/repairing hospitals in Laos.

The two sides will also focus on cooperation in education in association with tourism, justice, labour and social welfare, humanitarian activities, UXO clearance, agriculture and forestry, statistics, and banking.

The Lao side also asked Luxembourg to cooperate in digital finance and digital/e-payments in banking to facilitate trade, investment and tourism.

Laos and Luxembourg are keen to reinforce their friendly relations and cooperation after the two countries established diplomatic ties on September 25, 1997.

Mr Saleumxay and Mr Bettel agreed to push for the relevant sectors in both countries to fulfil programmes agreed to by the governments of Laos and Luxembourg.
Luxembourg is one of the most important European donors to Laos and plays a leading role in the Team Europe Strategy (2021-2025) for Laos.

On the same day, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone also received a courtesy call from Mr. Xavier BETTEL Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade and Minister for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs of the Kingdom of Luxembourg and his delegation.

PM Sonexay expressed his welcome the visiting Mr Xavier BETTEL and highly valued their visit noting that it contributed to strengthening relations and cooperation between Laos and the Kingdom of Luxembourg, especially the foreign affairs sector.