BAKU, AZERBAIJAN — On the occasion of the official visit of H.E. Thongloun Sisoulith, President of the Lao PDR, to the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Investment Promotion and Management Committee, in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry and Commerce, the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Ministry of Economy of Azerbaijan, organized the very first Lao-Azerbaijan Investment Promotion Forum in Baku on October 14, 2026. The forum aimed to explore opportunities to expand trade and investment cooperation and provided a platform for business networking between enterprises from both nations. The event brought together 80 representatives from both the public and private sectors across key industries, including energy, tourism, finance, logistics, manufacturing, consultancy services, and construction.
The forum was officially opened with remarks by Dr. Manothong Vongxay, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Lao PDR, and Mr. Anar Akhundov, Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan. Both dignitaries highlighted the strong relationship between Lao PDR and Azerbaijan over the past 30 years, noting mutual support in regional and international arenas. They unanimously agreed that both countries possess significant potential to further expand trade and investment cooperation by leveraging their respective comparative advantages.
Dr. Vanthana Nolintha, Standing Member and Permanent Secretary of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee, presented Lao PDR’s investment policies and opportunities. He reaffirmed that the Lao government strongly supports domestic and foreign private investment and prioritizes improving the investment climate to enhance business facilitation. He invited Azerbaijani businesses to explore investment opportunities in Lao PDR across five key sectors: high-value agricultural processing, mineral processing (noting the Lao government’s opening to downstream mining industries to generate domestic added value), petroleum (including oil exports from Azerbaijan to Lao PDR and feasibility studies for constructing an oil refinery in Lao PDR), logistics, and tourism.
The forum concluded with bilateral discussions between government officials regarding future mechanisms and opportunities to strengthen cooperation and exchange knowledge. Simultaneously, business representatives from both countries held B2B discussions to explore commercial partnerships, particularly in energy trading, mineral processing, and the establishment of an infrastructure development fund.