(KPL) The Department of Foreign Trade under the Ministry of Industry and Commerce recently organized a pivotal meeting of the Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee to address bottlenecks in agricultural exports.

Chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, Head of the Trade and Transport Facilitation Committee, the session brought together ministers, provincial governors, department heads, and representatives from key ministries, sectors, and export companies.

During the meeting, participants reviewed progress on resolving trade and transport challenges, highlighting recent improvements such as reduced roadside checkpoints and revised service fees at dry ports.

These advancements stemmed from earlier technical consultations led by the Ministry of Industry and Commerce.

However, unresolved issues dominated discussions, including delays in implementing the Government Decree on Ports, expanding the Lao National Single Window (NSW) tax system, and improving connectivity between Thanaleng Dry Port and the Lao-China Railway.

To accelerate solutions, the committee tasked its Secretariat with compiling a comprehensive list of pending challenges and stakeholder feedback. Each responsible agency was urged to prioritize resolving these issues, with a progress report slated for submission to the committee by mid-June 2025.

Deputy Prime Minister Kommasith emphasized the urgency of addressing barriers to cross-border trade, stating that streamlined processes are critical for boosting Laos’ agricultural export competitiveness and economic growth.

KPL