(KPL) On the evening of July 25, 2024, in Vientiane, a ceremony was held to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Laos and Canada.

The diplomatic ties between the two countries were established on June 15, 1974.

Friday’s event also marked Canada's 157th National Day (July 1, 1867 - 2024) and celebrated Laos' role as the ASEAN-Canada coordinating country.

The event was organized by Canadian Ambassador to Laos, Ms. Ping Kitnikone, whose office is based in Bangkok.

Distinguished guests included Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos, Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, representing the Lao government, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada, Ms. Mélanie Joly, who attended as part of the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings.

The ceremony was attended by ministers, deputy ministers, and officials from various sectors of the Lao government, as well as foreign ambassadors in Laos.

Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, Ms. Mélanie Joly, and the Canadian Ambassador to Laos expressed their admiration and high regard for the successful cooperation between Laos and Canada over the past five decades, particularly in areas such as unexploded ordnance clearance, education, and health.

From 2019 to 2023, the trade value between the two countries reached USD 141 million. Canada has also invested in wholesale and retail services, automobile repair business, manufacturing, agriculture and forestry, and fisheries in Laos.

Laos and Canada have cooperated under the ASEAN framework, with Canada supporting IT initiatives for Laos during its ASEAN chairmanship in 2024. Laos will serve as the ASEAN-Canada coordinating country for three years, from July 2024 to July 2027.

The celebration symbolized the strengthening and expansion of the cooperative relationship between Laos and Canada and set the direction for future collaboration between the two countries.

KPL