President Thongloun Sisoulith meets with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, during an official welcome ceremony in Baku.

Laos, Azerbaijan agree to strengthen ties, boost trade and investment

The presidents of Laos and Azerbaijan have agreed to strengthen economic ties between their countries, with agriculture, trade and investment proposed for key areas of cooperation during an official visit by President Thongloun Sisoulith to Azerbaijan from October 13-15.
President Thongloun led a high-level Lao delegation on the visit to Azerbaijan, at the invitation of Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
This was the first official visit by a Lao head of state to Azerbaijan, opening a new chapter in relations between the two countries, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During talks in Baku on October 13, the two presidents reviewed their countries’ bilateral relations and agreed to promote cooperation in politics, trade, investment, transport, energy, education, culture, agriculture and other fields.
They also agreed to encourage regular exchanges of visits by senior leaders and strengthen mutual support at regional and international forums, particularly within the United Nations.
A key outcome of the visit was the signing of two cooperation documents, witnessed by the two presidents. These were an agreement on visa exemption for holders of official passports and a Memorandum of Understanding on agricultural cooperation.
The agricultural agreement provides a basis for further engagement in a sector important to Laos, although the announcement did not specify particular projects, investment amounts or activities proposed under the agreement.
The visit also included the Laos-Azerbaijan Investment Promotion Conference in Baku on October 14, organised by the Investment Promotion and Management Committee, the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Economy.
The conference was attended by government representatives and businesses from sectors including energy, tourism, finance, logistics, industry, consulting services, and construction.
It aimed to identify opportunities to expand trade and investment and encourage direct exchanges between businesses in the two countries.
Speaking at the conference, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Manothong Vongsay and Azerbaijan’s Deputy Minister of Economy, Anar Akhundov, highlighted the countries’ longstanding relations and the potential to expand economic cooperation by drawing on their respective strengths.
Standing Member of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee and Head of its Office, Vanthana Norlintha, outlined Laos’ investment policies and opportunities, highlighting the government’s support for domestic and foreign private investment and its efforts to improve the investment environment.
He invited Azerbaijani companies to explore opportunities in five key sectors: high-value agro-processing, mineral processing, oil, logistics, and tourism.
In mineral processing, the Lao government is open to investment in downstream mining to add value to Laos’ mineral resources rather than relying solely on the export of raw materials.
In the oil sector, the opportunities suggested included the sale of Azerbaijani oil to Laos and a feasibility study on investment in an oil refinery in Laos. These were presented as potential areas for cooperation.
At the close of the conference, public-sector representatives from the two countries discussed ways to expand cooperation and share their experiences. Business representatives also explored opportunities for closer commercial ties, particularly in energy trading, mineral processing, and the possible establishment of an infrastructure development fund.
The discussions highlighted areas where the two countries could pursue practical economic cooperation.
The visit builds on diplomatic relations established in 1995 and longstanding ties dating back to the Soviet period. President Thongloun thanked the Azerbaijani government and people for their support for Laos, particularly in human-resource training since the Soviet era.
He invited President Aliyev to visit Laos in 2027 or at a mutually convenient time.
During his stay, President Thongloun received courtesy calls from Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Chairperson of the National Assembly Sahiba Gafarova. He also visited Baku State University, where he delivered a lecture on the history of relations between Laos and Azerbaijan to faculty members and students.
The two sides said they would continue working to strengthen their longstanding friendship and expand cooperation through bilateral and multilateral frameworks.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update October 19, 2026)