At the recent BRICS summit held in Kazan, Russia, from 22 to 24 October Laos formally expressed its interest in joining the group of emerging economies—Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. During the BRICS Plus/Outreach session, President Thongloun Sisoulith highlighted Laos’s commitment to multilateral cooperation and voiced hopes for support in the application process.
Laos sees joining BRICS as a way to enhance collaboration in trade, investment, green energy, and sustainable development, according to President Thongloun. He emphasized the importance of collective efforts to meet the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals and called for enhanced partnerships that would benefit not only Laos but the entire region.
The summit aimed to highlight BRICS’ growing role on the global stage, with discussions among leaders from over 80 nations, including Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
In a bilateral meeting on 24 October, President Thongloun also met with Russian President Vladimir Putin to strengthen the strategic partnership between Laos and Russia. Both leaders acknowledged their countries’ longstanding ties, emphasizing achievements in defense, education, and peacekeeping. They agreed to deepen cooperation in trade, energy, transportation, and tourism, as well as to support each other in international forums.
While the summit focused on economic cooperation and geopolitical strategies, concerns regarding cultural appropriation were raised, particularly by smaller countries with strong traditional ties.
Laos aims to join the BRICS alliance as the country looks forward to leveraging the platform to advance its development goals and strengthen its role in the international community.
