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Mr. Thongsavanh Phomvihane, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR, led the Lao delegation to the Meeting of the Commission for the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Interface Meeting with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) on July 20, 2026, in Manila, the Philippines.
The meetings were chaired by the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs and attended by ASEAN foreign ministers and the ASEAN Secretary-General.
During the SEANWFZ Commission Meeting, participants reviewed progress in implementing the SEANWFZ Plan of Action (2023–2027), including the work of the ASEAN Nuclear Energy Management Unit and cooperation with external partners, particularly the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Ministers also continued discussions on the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty, focusing on efforts to encourage the five Nuclear-Weapon States—China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States—to sign the Protocol.
At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Interface Meeting with AICHR, ministers commended the commission for its continued efforts to promote and protect human rights across ASEAN and for its contribution to ASEAN Community-building.
The ministers encouraged AICHR to continue fulfilling its mandate and effectively implement its priority activities under the 2026–2030 Work Plan, with 2026 marking the first year of the new five-year programme. They emphasized the importance of ensuring tangible and effective outcomes in advancing human rights cooperation throughout the region.
KPL
