James Kon
The President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith in a speech at Brunei Darussalam-Laos Investment and Business Forum at The Empire Brunei yesterday underscored fruitful discussion and exchanges of views with His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam on issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed the commitment to strengthen the bond between the people of both nations.
He said the Sultanate and Laos will commemorate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2023 and also extended an invitation to His Majesty for a state visit to Laos.
Minister of Home Affairs Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman, members of National Chamber of Commerce and Industry Brunei Darussalam and Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well as senior officials from both countries were present.
The president said the forum was an important event where chambers of commerce and industry can exchange views and explore business partnerships.
The president said cooperation will provide a win-win scenario for both nations. He also noted both Brunei and Laos are small countries but with differences such as Laos being a landlocked nation with no oil and natural gas while the Sultanate is rich in natural resources.
The president said Laos has land for agriculture and mountains with potential for tourism development while Brunei has access to the sea. He said with cooperation, there are opportunities to make use of the differences and explore complementary prospects.
The president said the Laos Government is making efforts to capitalise on potential investment areas such as leveraging on the rivers for hydro power, agriculture, livestock, transportation and trade. The government is also continuously investing in infrastructure to attract businesses and foreign direct investment.
