(KPL) Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh left Vientiane on Tuesday’s night for the United States to attend ASEAN-US Special Summit to be held in Washington D.C. on May 12-13.

The departure ceremony for the Prime Minister and his delegation was held at Wattay International Airport, Vientiane in the presence of Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Vientiane Joy M. Sakurai.

ASEAN and the United States are set to convene the summit to celebrate four and a half decades of the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations, on 12-13 May 2022, in Washington D.C. This is the second Special Summit since 2016 and the first in person engagement for the ASEAN and US leaders since 2017.

ASEAN Leaders and President Joe Biden will meet to discuss ways and means to intensify cooperation in various areas, including COVID-19 response and global health security, climate change, sustainable development, maritime cooperation, human capital development, education and people-to-people ties, as well as connectivity and economic engagement.

They will also exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest and concern.

KPL