As ASEAN’s country coordinator for relations with Canada, Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane co-chairs the ASEAN-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Anita Anand, in Manila on Wednesday.

Laos strengthens ASEAN ties with dialogue partners

Laos has joined fellow ASEAN member states in strengthening cooperation with major global partners on trade, investment, digital transformation, energy security and regional connectivity, during a series of ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings held in Manila, the Philippines, on Wednesday.
According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Thongsavan Phomvihane led the Lao delegation attending 11 ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings with ASEAN dialogue partners, including India, Canada, the United States, Russia, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the European Union.
As ASEAN’s country coordinator for relations with Canada for the period 2024-2027, Mr Thongsavan co-chaired the ASEAN-Canada Foreign Ministers’ Meeting with Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ms Anita Anand.
The meeting reviewed progress in ASEAN-Canada cooperation and called for negotiations on the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (ACAFTA) to be concluded within 2026.
Ministers also adopted the new ASEAN-Canada Plan of Action for 2026-2030, which will guide cooperation over the next five years.
At the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, ministers welcomed the designation of 2026 as ASEAN-India Year of Maritime Cooperation and pledged to meet the goals of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action for 2026-2030.
The ASEAN-United States Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed cooperation in trade and investment, energy, security, innovation, artificial intelligence, critical minerals and human resource development.
Ministers welcomed the successful implementation of the ASEAN-US Plan of Action for 2021-2025 and urged progress on a new framework for future cooperation.
During the ASEAN-Russia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, ministers praised the outcomes of the summit held last month to mark the 35th anniversary of ASEAN-Russia relations.
They agreed to advance implementation of the ASEAN-Russia Plan of Action for 2026-2030, focusing on economic cooperation, energy, culture and people-to-people links.
The ASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting welcomed progress following the adoption of Version 3.0 of the ASEAN-China Free Trade Area agreement and the ASEAN-China Plan of Action for 2026-2030.
Ministers also adopted the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on the Situation in the Middle East and Strengthening Regional Energy Cooperation.
The meeting with the Republic of Korea reviewed progress since the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2024 and encouraged cooperation in digital economy development, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, climate change response and education.
At the ASEAN-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, participants reviewed implementation of the ASEAN-Japan Leaders’ Joint Vision Statement on Friendship and Cooperation and agreed to strengthen collaboration in digital transformation, innovation, artificial intelligence, clean energy, disaster response and human resource development.
The ASEAN-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Meeting welcomed progress under the ASEAN-Australia Plan of Action for 2025-2029 and discussed deeper cooperation in trade, investment, energy, agriculture, the digital economy and people-to-people links.
The ASEAN-New Zealand Foreign Ministers’ Meeting reviewed progress following the elevation of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2025 and encouraged greater cooperation in agriculture, clean energy, disaster management, support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, and human resource development.
At the ASEAN-European Union Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, ministers reviewed implementation of the ASEAN-EU Plan of Action for 2023-2027 and discussed future cooperation in trade and investment, digital transformation, climate action and people-to-people links, as well as preparations for the 50th anniversary of ASEAN-EU relations in 2027.
The ASEAN-United Kingdom Foreign Ministers’ Meeting welcomed progress under the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action for 2022-2026 and adopted a new Plan of Action for 2027-2031, together with a Joint Statement on Cooperation on the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific.
The meetings reflected ASEAN’s commitment to strengthening partnerships with dialogue countries and international partners while promoting regional peace, stability, sustainable development and economic resilience amid an increasingly complex global environment.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update July 24, 2026)