Laos Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith held talks with Bangladeshi Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen on the sidelines of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Meeting in Phnom Penh on Saturday.
The two foreign ministers discussed various aspects of bilateral relations currently in place, and discussed the potential for strengthened bilateral investment and trade.
Foreign Minister Momen invited Laos to invest in various sectors in Bangladesh, including agriculture and ICT, as well as in special economic zones. He also proposed regular exchanges of trade delegations and people-to-people contact between the two countries.
According to Bangladeshi Media, Minister Momen congratulated Laos on its diplomats participating in a short course organized by the Foreign Service Academy of Bangladesh, the first time such an exchange had taken place.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh urged Laos to use its influence over Myanmar to assist in the repatriation of forcibly displaced Rohingya peoples back to their homeland in Myanmar.
Mr. Saleumxay, for his part, expressed his respect for Bangladesh’s significant socio-economic success over the past decade and his desire to expand trade and investment links between Laos and Bangladesh.
Both ministers discussed the possibility of a high-level visit between the two countries at a future date.
The ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting was overshadowed by US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan last week. Tensions remained high as the bloc advised against “provocative conduct” while Beijing responded with its largest-ever exercises around Taiwan.
