BD, Laos seek deeper ties thru first-ever FOC
Bangladesh and Laos have agreed to deepen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in trade, investment, labour, education, tourism and other areas as the two countries held their first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Vientiane, capital of Laos, on Thursday.
The inaugural consultations marked a new milestone in the 38-year-old diplomatic relationship between Dhaka and Vientiane and were co-chaired by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Anouparb Vongnorkeo, Foreign Ministry said.
The two sides held discussions in a warm and cordial atmosphere, reviewing the full spectrum of bilateral relations and identifying new areas for cooperation.
“Both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across a wide range of areas, including trade and investment, human resource development, ICT, healthcare, tourism, climate change and higher education,” the consultations noted.
The two countries agreed to initiate a memorandum of understanding on cultural cooperation to promote people-to-people contacts and another on labour cooperation aimed at facilitating the recruitment of more Bangladeshi workers in Laos.
They also agreed to exchange young diplomats, promote tourism cooperation and share experiences and best practices on strategies for a smooth transition from least developed country status.
On consular matters, Bangladesh requested Laos to ease visa-related difficulties faced by Bangladeshi ordinary passport holders. “The Lao side responded positively to the request,” according to the outcome of the consultations.
Trade and economic cooperation emerged as a major focus of the meeting, with both sides recognising that the existing level of bilateral trade remains below its considerable potential.
“Both sides underscored the need for concerted efforts to diversify and expand trade and investment flows,” the two sides said, while agreeing to encourage greater business-to-business engagement, including exchanges between their respective national apex chambers of commerce and industry.
Laos expressed particular interest in deepening cooperation with Bangladesh in pharmaceuticals and agricultural products, opening up potential new avenues for Bangladeshi exports to the Lao market.
The consultations also covered regional and international issues. Bangladesh appreciated Laos’s support on various issues in international fora and sought its continued support for the dignified repatriation of the forcibly displaced Rohingyas from Bangladesh to their homeland in Myanmar.
Vientiane “reiterated its support for Bangladesh’s aspirations to become an ASEAN Sectoral Dialogue Partner and a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)”, according to the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry.
The two sides also identified climate change as an important area for closer cooperation. As climate-vulnerable countries, Bangladesh and Laos agreed to share experiences and best practices on climate adaptation and mitigation.
“Both sides expressed interest to work closely to address the adverse impact of climate change,” the statement said, with the two countries seeking to enhance resilience and strengthen their respective capacities to tackle climate-related challenges.
The first-ever FOC thus provided a new institutional platform for Dhaka and Vientiane to give greater momentum to their bilateral relationship, particularly in areas with untapped economic and people-to-people potential.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the heads of the two delegations signed an outcome document.
Following the consultations, Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Anouparb Vongnorkeo hosted a reception dinner in honour of Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and the visiting Bangladeshi delegation.
