(KPL) Lao Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongsavanh Phomvihane led the Lao delegation to attend the 26th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences with dialogue partners including China, Australia, Canada, India, New Zealand, Japan, Russia, the Republic of Korea, and the United States.

At the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference with Canada, ASEAN foreign ministers and their Canadian counterparts reviewed the progress made in implementing the ASEAN–Canada Strategic Partnership, particularly the ASEAN–Canada Action Plan (2021–2025). They reaffirmed their commitment to advancing negotiations for a new action plan for 2026–2030 and emphasized the importance of accelerating talks on the ASEAN–Canada Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA), with the goal of concluding it by 2026.

In the meeting with India, ministers acknowledged achievements under the ASEAN–India Action Plan (2021–2025), welcomed progress in negotiations to conclude the ASEAN–India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITIGA), and agreed to initiate the development of a new strategic partnership framework for 2026–2030.

During the session with Australia, foreign ministers reaffirmed their commitment to implementing the outcomes of the ASEAN–Australia Special Summit to commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations, and supported ongoing efforts to establish a strategic plan for 2025–2029.

At the ASEAN–Russia meeting, participants reviewed progress under the ASEAN–Russia Comprehensive Plan of Action (2021–2025) and reiterated their intention to develop a new action plan for 2026–2030, aiming for its adoption by the end of the year.

Both sides agreed to enhance cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, energy, tourism, youth exchanges, culture, education, climate change, food safety, and health through the ASEAN–Russia cooperation mechanism.

In the ASEAN–Japan meeting, ministers highlighted the implementation of the outcomes of the Commemorative Summit for the 50th Year of ASEAN-Japan Friendship and Cooperation held in Tokyo in December 2023. These included the ASEAN-Japan Joint Vision Statement on Friendship and Cooperation and the accompanying action plan.

The meeting also agreed to strengthen cooperation in areas such as digital trade, fintech, artificial intelligence, clean energy transition, digital transformation, human resource development, and people-to-people exchanges.

Meanwhile, ASEAN foreign ministers and their counterparts from the Republic of Korea and the United States reaffirmed the longstanding partnerships and expressed commitment to expanding cooperation in digital trade, innovation, clean energy, finance, human resource development, and people-to-people exchange. They also agreed to finalize new strategic frameworks for 2026–2030.

At the 26th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ministers reviewed progress in implementing the APT Cooperation Work Plan (2023–2027) and discussed future directions for APT collaboration. They reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening integration and enhancing cooperation in addressing regional and global challenges.

KPL