Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone’s visit testifies to Laos’ consistent position on the special relationship that unites it with Vietnam.

The ambassador said this was Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone’s first official visit to Vietnam since his re-election by the 12th Congress of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and the 10th National Assembly of Laos. The choice of Vietnam as a priority destination in Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone’s foreign policy program testifies to the importance that Vietnam and Laos attach to each country’s foreign policy, thus illustrating the close ties and uniqueness of the relationship between the two parties, the two states and the people.

In addition, the visit also allowed senior leaders of the two countries to review in detail the implementation of past agreements, including the results of the annual meeting between the two Politburos, the 48th session of the Vietnam-Laos Intergovernmental Committee and other high-level agreements; thus formulating new policies to push forward the Vietnam-Laos cooperation to a deeper, more substantial and more effective stage of development.

Ambassador Nguyen Minh Tam considered that the participation of Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone in two of the three ASEAN Future Forums (2024 and 2026) testifies to Laos’ strong support for the initiative launched by Vietnam to promote a strategic dialogue on the future of ASEAN. This active participation of Laos reflects not only the strengthening of coordination between the two countries on regional issues, but also their common desire to contribute to the building of a united, resilient and innovative ASEAN, centered on humans and preserving its central role in the evolution of the structure regional.

The ambassador stressed that, in the context of the profound geopolitical, economic and technological changes taking place in the world and the region, this visit sends a very clear message: Vietnam and Laos will continue to work together, share strategic interests, support each other in their national development and coordinate closely their efforts to respond effectively to common challenges.

“The relationship between Vietnam and Laos is not only an invaluable asset meticulously cultivated by generations of leaders and people of the two countries, but it is also becoming an exceptional model of international relations and cooperative development in this new era,” said the ambassador.

The Ambassador also expressed his belief that Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone’s official visit to Vietnam and his participation in the ASEAN Future Forum 2026 would be a great success, creating new momentum for the effective implementation of the high-level agreements, thus strengthening the substance of the Vietnam-Laos strategic bond and contributing to the development of great friendship, special solidarity, comprehensive cooperation and strategic bond between the two countries at a higher level, for the good of the people of the two countries and for peace, stability, cooperation and development in the region and in the world.

Speaking to a reporter from the Laotian daily Nhan Dan, Lao Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavanh Sisoulath congratulated the Vietnamese government for its initiative to establish the ASEAN Future Forum, affirming that this forum is of great importance for the future of ASEAN and expressing confidence in maintaining this mechanism in the long term.

According to the Laotian Deputy Foreign Minister, the Forum has achieved significant results over the past two years (2024-2025). The 3rd ASEAN Future Forum (2026), which will be held in Hanoi on the theme “Building a shared future together: peace, prosperity and citizenship”, testifies to Vietnam’s innovative capacity to adapt to geopolitical and economic realities, as well as the challenges and opportunities of the period to come.

The Lao Deputy Foreign Minister believed that ASEAN is currently implementing its vision for 2045; therefore, the ideas and perspectives drawn from the Forum will contribute to the realization of this vision and bring concrete results.

Highlighting the important role played by Vietnam over the years in promoting peace, stability, solidarity and building an ever more prosperous ASEAN community, the Lao Deputy Foreign Minister expressed confidence that Vietnam will continue to play a major role in the future, helping to attract more attention from its partners and strengthen its cooperation with ASEAN, thus making the latter stronger and more prosperous; He affirmed that Laos would work together with Vietnam and other countries to continue promoting the central role of ASEAN.

The Lao Deputy Foreign Minister said that the participation of Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone and other Lao leaders in the forum demonstrates Laos’ consistent position on the special relationship between Laos and Vietnam, as well as its appreciation of the ASEAN Future Forum initiated by Vietnam.

The Lao Prime Minister’s participation and speech at the ASEAN Future Forum will enrich and diversify the discussions held there, thus contributing to the construction of the ASEAN community.