Events of the first day of the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov to Laos

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Events of the first day of the visit of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus M.Ryzhenkov to Laos

On July 17, 2025, on the first day of his visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, held negotiations with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, Thongsavanh Phomvihane. The highlight of the meeting was the signing of an intergovernmental Agreement on the abolition of visas for holders of national passports. This step will open up new prospects for the development of bilateral relations in various areas, from business partnerships and cooperation between public organisations to tourism and humanitarian initiatives.

During the talks, the ministers noted the sustained positive dynamics of Belarusian-Lao relations, based on strong historical ties dating back to the Soviet period. Despite the geographical distance, the parties expressed their desire to further deepen their partnership based on mutual respect and friendship. An agreement was reached to restart the activities of the Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation after the completion of administrative reform in Laos, as well as to hold its fourth meeting in the near future.

Particular attention was paid to intensifying political consultations at the level of deputy foreign ministers, which will enable the revision and updating of current initiatives. Issues of trade and economic cooperation were discussed, including the implementation of agreements reached by the presidents of Belarus and Laos in Kazan in October 2024 on the sidelines of the BRICS summit. Both sides emphasised the need to diversify trade, remove barriers in the banking sector and seek new financial instruments. Ways of working together in the field of food security were also considered.

The exchange of views on the international and regional agenda demonstrated similar approaches to the formation of a fair and multipolar world order. The parties confirmed the importance of mutual support at the UN and discussed mechanisms for expanding cooperation within the framework of integration associations - the EAEU and ASEAN. The head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry thanked the Lao side for its support for Belarusian initiatives, particularly in the fight against human trafficking, and informed it about the upcoming third Minsk International Conference on Eurasian Security, scheduled for October 2025. Laos was invited to present its own vision in the context of the Eurasian Security Charter initiative.

In preparation for high-level reciprocal visits, including a visit by the President of Laos to Belarus, the parties agreed to intensify cooperation through channels of public diplomacy - parliamentary, youth, women's and friendship societies. An agreement was also reached on the development of a comprehensive roadmap in preparation for the visit of the President of Laos to Belarus. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos accepted an invitation to visit Minsk in the near future.

In addition, the parties confirmed their intention to strengthen cooperation in the media sphere, including the preparation of an agreement between news agencies and television channels, which will raise awareness of the opportunities offered by the two countries. The idea of developing combined tourist routes was supported, and the practice of inviting Laotian children to Belarus for holidays, including to the Zubrenok National Children's Educational and Health Centre, was retained. Particular emphasis was placed on the importance of joint efforts to counter the spread of misinformation.

The key event of the visit was a meeting between the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, Maxim Ryzhenkov, and the President of Laos, Thongloun Sisoulith. The President of Laos warmly recalled his previous meetings with the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, and conveyed his best wishes to his Belarusian counterpart, calling Belarus one of Laos' best friends.

In response, Minister Ryzhenkov conveyed greetings from the Belarusian Head of State, as well as his request to accept the invitation previously extended to the President of Laos to visit Belarus at his earliest convenience, to which the latter agreed.

The parties discussed the events that took place and are planned as part of the current visit of the head of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. Particular attention was paid to the implementation of the agreements reached during the meeting between the presidents of Belarus and Laos on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024. In the context of preparations for the visit of the President of Laos to Belarus, the Belarusian side proposed to hold inter-ministerial political consultations on all issues on the bilateral agenda, update the legal framework, speed up the meeting of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation, organise a visit by the the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos to Belarus, and intensify cooperation between public organisations and political parties.

The President of Laos instructed the relevant state bodies to intensify joint work with Belarusian partners on the implementation of the agreements reached. Given Belarus' experience in the mining sector, he proposed to consider opportunities for cooperation in the joint extraction of minerals in Laos.

Minister Ryzhenkov, in turn, informed about the decision of the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers, held on July 15, to approve the granting of SCO partner status to Laos. The final decision will be made by the heads of the organisation's member states in September 2025.

The intensification of interparliamentary cooperation was also noted, including a visit to Laos by the leadership of the Belarusian parliament and the creation of friendship groups in the legislative bodies of both countries. President Sisoulith expressed gratitude to Belarus for hosting Laotian children at the Zubrenok health centre, emphasising the importance of such initiatives for the development of contacts between the peoples.

During the meeting with the Prime Minister of Laos, Sonexay Siphandone, the main focus was on the development of trade and economic cooperation between the two countries.

Minister Ryzhenkov noted that the Belarusian delegation included representatives of banks, industrial enterprises, ministries and government bodies. He announced the upcoming Belarusian-Lao business forum, during which specific agreements on cooperation between businesses of the two countries should be reached. The Minister emphasised that the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation is the main instrument for promoting bilateral relations in this area.

The Lao side promised to take the necessary measures to form its part of the intergovernmental commission as quickly as possible.

Prime Minister Siphandone expressed interest in cooperation with Belarus in the fields of energy, petrochemicals, mineral extraction and agriculture. He also provided information on the ongoing reform of the state apparatus in Laos. The Lao side expressed particular interest in Belarus' technological capabilities in the production of potash fertilisers and baby food based on dry milk.

Responding to these proposals, Minister Ryzhenkov noted that Belarus is ready not only to supply products, but also to transfer the technology for their production directly to Laos. At the same time, the Belarusian side is ready to provide the necessary financing for the implementation of joint projects in these areas. The Minister named the training of Laotian specialists in Belarusian educational institutions in specialities required for the implementation of joint projects as another important area of cooperation.

As part of the promotion of the humanitarian and social agenda, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus met with the leadership and members of the Belarus-Laos Friendship Society . During the conversation, he noted the significant role of this association as a bridge between the two states and emphasised the importance of people-to-people diplomacy in strengthening bilateral relations.

The parties discussed plans for joint work to deepen mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Belarus and Laos.

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