(KPL) Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong commended the deepening Lao-Singaporean ties during an official dinner hosted by Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in Vientiane on Oct 11, 2024.

 Wong praised Laos' successful chairmanship of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, highlighting their theme, "Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience." 

Wong noted the strong progress in bilateral relations as the two countries celebrate 50 years of diplomatic ties. 

He emphasized the shared geographical constraints between land-locked Laos and "sea-locked" Singapore, which foster a common interest in staying connected to the region and the world.

Energy connectivity emerged as a key area of cooperation, with Wong lauding the Lao PDR-Thailand-Malaysia-Singapore Power Integration Project, launched in 2022.  

He highlighted recent progress, noting the doubling of traded electricity to 200MW, with Malaysia joining Laos in contributing energy. Wong described these efforts as steps toward building the ASEAN Power Grid, which will enhance energy security and accelerate green transitions. 

Sustainability also took center stage, with Wong outlining the carbon credits collaboration between Singapore and Laos. 

An upcoming legally binding agreement under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement will boost Singapore’s climate targets and green investments in Laos, creating jobs and fostering sustainable development.

PM Wong further stressed the importance of food security and public health cooperation, citing projects like the development of “Temasek Rice” and collaborations in eye care and public health research.

To strengthen human capital, the Singaporean Prime Minister announced a new Leadership and Governance Training Programme for senior Lao officials. 

He also welcomed Scoot’s announcement of an increase in the number of flights to Vientiane to four times a week from December 2024. The increase in air connectivity is expected to boost tourism and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

KPL