Chairman of the Russia-ASEAN Business Council Ivan Polyakov, following the results of the ASEAN Business and Investment Summit (ABIS-2023), which ended in Jakarta, stated the need to hold the Russia-ASEAN summit in 2024 in the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, which will chair the Russia-ASEAN Business Advisory Council.

The issue was discussed with the co-chairs of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council from Laos – Oudet Souvannavong, president of the Lao Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Thanongsinh Kanlagna, president of the Lao Information and Communication Technology Association.

Polyakov said the need for the Russia-ASEAN summit is very high. According to him, it is important to work more with ASEAN countries in a wide range of areas, to participate in the dynamic development of the region, to offer the Russian side’s comprehensive developments, to expand access of ASEAN business to the Russian and Eurasian market.

As noted by the Chairman of the Business Council, Laos has a successful experience of coordinating dialogue partnership between Russia and ASEAN countries. In 2015-2018, Laos played a key role in the transition of Russia-ASEAN relations to a qualitatively new level. In cooperation between Vientiane and Moscow, important activities of the Russia-ASEAN bilateral agenda were realised, and work in the field of trade, economic and investment cooperation was intensified.

Consultations on holding the Russia-ASEAN summit in Laos in 2024 will continue with the official Lao delegation in Vladivostok, which will attend the Eastern Economic Forum in September 2023.

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