(KPL) Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia Hun Manet is paying an official visit to the Lao PDR to further strengthen the long-standing friendship, traditional solidarity and comprehensive and long-lasting strategic partnership between Laos and Cambodia.

Hun Manet’s visit, scheduled for Mar 25-26, is in response to the invitation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone. 

The official welcome ceremony for the Cambodian Prime Minister was held at the Prime Minister's Office in Vientiane by Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone on Mar 25.

Prime Minister Sonexay and his Cambodian counterpart met after the welcome ceremony.

PM Sonexay described the visit of the Cambodian leader as a significant contribution to strengthening the cooperation between Laos and Cambodia.

Mr Sonexay reaffirmed the commitment of the Party, government and people of the Lao PDR to work with the government leader of Cambodia to enhance the longstanding friendship, comprehensive and long-lasting strategic partnership between Laos and Cambodia.

The host congratulated the Cambodian leader upon the Cambodian People's Party’s victory in the 5th Senate (upper house) election on Feb 25.

Prime Minister Hun Manet spoke highly of the friendship and cooperation between the two countries which is based on the principle of neighborhood, longstanding friendship and comprehensive and long lasting strategic partnership.

Both sides agreed that the friendship and cooperation between the people of Laos and Cambodia have been strengthened with the two countries upgrading their bilateral relations to a comprehensive and long lasting strategic partnership in 2019.

They noted that the Joint Action Plan the two countries have signed serves as a foundation for strengthening cooperation in various areas including defense, security, border affairs, economics, trade, investment, public works and transport, electricity, finance, culture, tourism, among others.

Both sides agreed to continue working together to implement the agreements signed by the leaders of the two countries to bring concrete benefits to the peoples of the two countries and to strengthen cooperation in the regional and international arenas.

They also informed each other about the achievements in socio-economic development in their respective countries and shared points of view on regional and international issues of common interest.

PM Hun Manet invited the Prime Minister of the Lao PDR to visit the Kingdom of Cambodia at his convenience.

The Cambodian leader reiterated his commitment to support the Lao PDR in its capacity as the chair of ASEAN for 2024.

PM Sonexay Siphandone expressed his gratitude to the government and people of Cambodia for their assistance and support to the Lao PDR.

The two Prime Ministers also witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents and the exchange of memoranda of understanding: the ratification of Laos-Cambodia treaty on border demarcation, agreement on energy cooperation phase II between the governments of Laos and Cambodia, and the exchange of two memoranda of understanding on underground thermal energy, renewable energy and wind power projects.

KPL