(KPL) Deputy Prime Minister cum Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith received in Vientiane on Jun 1 a courtesy visit from Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director for the US-ASEAN Business Council Michael W. Michalak, whose office is based in Singapore.

Michael W. Michalak and executives from RMA, Coca-Cola, Visa, and law, pharmaceutical, IT, and financial firms from the U.S. are visiting the Lao PDR to meet with Lao counterparts on capacity building on digital economy, infrastructure development, health, environment and sustainable development.

Expressing warm welcome to the guest, Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay praised the US-ASEAN Business Council for promoting its cooperation on trade, investment and environment with the Lao PDR.

He called on the US-ASEAN Business Council to further enhance cooperation with ASEAN as well as the Lao PDR, the chair of ASEAN Summit 2024, especially on capacity building of relevant sectors in the country.

In reply, Mr Michael W. Michalak affirmed the willingness of the US-ASEAN Business Council to assist Laos in preparing for its ASEAN Chairmanship in 2024, and called on the Lao government to support the activities of the council through making use of ASEAN Economic Community mechanisms.

Mr Michael affirmed that he would further strengthen the cooperation between ASEAN Business Council and U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, thus contributing to building ASEAN Community, and Laos’ preparation for ASEAN chairmanship in 2024.

ASEAN Economic Ministers are expected to visit the U.S. next year to meet with officials of the US-ASEAN Business Council to promote ASEAN-US cooperation on trade and investment.

KPL