(KPL) At the invitation of Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, Mr. Péter Szijjártó, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Hungary, paid an official visit to the Lao PDR on February 4, 2026, aimed at further strengthening the traditional friendship and good cooperation between the two countries under their strategic partnership.

On the morning of February 4, Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane warmly welcomed Minister Péter Szijjártó and his delegation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where the two sides held an official bilateral meeting. Minister Thongsavanh expressed high appreciation for the visit, noting that it reflects the strong commitment of both countries to further consolidating and deepening their long-standing friendship and cooperation.

During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the steady expansion of bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties on September 12, 1962, and particularly since the elevation of relations to a strategic partnership in 2019. The two ministers agreed to continue strengthening cooperation through enhanced exchanges of high-level delegations, closer coordination between the two foreign ministries, and the promotion of experience-sharing, especially among young diplomats.

The two sides also agreed to further intensify cooperation in economic, trade, and investment sectors where both countries have strong potential, as well as in human resource development, particularly through the continued provision of scholarships to Lao students. In addition, they reaffirmed their commitment to supporting each other in regional and international forums in the interest of peace, stability, and sustainable development.

On this occasion, Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, on behalf of the Lao government, expressed sincere gratitude to the Hungarian government for its continued support and assistance to the Lao PDR, particularly in the areas of human resource development through scholarships and infrastructure development, which have made important contributions to the country’s socio-economic development.

For his part, Minister Péter Szijjártó thanked the Lao side for the warm hospitality and reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to further promoting and strengthening traditional friendship and cooperation with the Lao PDR to deliver concrete benefits to the peoples of both countries. He also pledged continued support and assistance to Laos in the future.

Following the meeting, the two foreign ministers jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation under the Hungarian Scholarship Program Framework for the period 2026–2028 and held a joint press conference to brief Lao and Hungarian media on the outcomes of the talks.

During his visit, Minister Péter Szijjártó also attended the handover ceremony of the Vientiane Capital Wastewater Treatment Plant, financed by an interest-free but conditional loan from the Hungarian government and people, symbolizing the close friendship and effective cooperation between Hungary and the Lao PDR.

KPL