(KPL) In response to the invitation from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith, the Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, along with his delegation, made an official visit to the Lao PDR to participate in the 4th Meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation between Laos and Brunei (JCBC-4), scheduled for August 28-29, 2024. 

The visit aimed at further strengthening the longstanding friendship and fruitful cooperation between the two nations, particularly in their strategic partnership.

On the afternoon of August 28, 2024, Mr. Saleumxay Kommasith warmly welcomed Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof and his delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane. The two leaders co-chaired the JCBC-4 meeting, where both sides reviewed the progress in their bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields since the last JCBC meeting held in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, in 2022. 

Key areas of cooperation included politics, economics, defense and security, education, energy, anti-money laundering efforts, air services, labour, social welfare, tourism, cultural exchanges, youth, women’s issues, and sports.

The meeting also set the directions and outlined future cooperation plans to ensure the successful implementation of the JCBC-4 outcomes. Both parties highly valued the constant development of Laos-Brunei relations, particularly following the JCBC-3 meeting in 2022, which saw significant exchanges, including high-level visits, such as the state visit by Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith to Brunei in October 2022 and the state visit by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to Laos in October last year. 

These visits commemorated the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and marked the elevation of their relationship to a “Strategic Partnership” in October 2023.

Both sides also agreed unanimously to continue promoting economic cooperation, especially in the fields of trade, investment, and tourism, while exploring new opportunities to enhance their partnership further. 

The successful outcomes of JCBC-4 are expected to bring tangible benefits to both countries and contribute to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the region.

KPL