On September 29th 2025, Investment Promotion and Management Committee Office, The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, together with the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry and other Lao departments attend the Laos – USA High Level Business Roundtable In Washington, D.C., USA.
The Laos – USA High Level Business Roundtable serves as a significant platform for promoting relations and cooperation between Lao PDR and the United States of America. It aims to enhance trade and investment cooperation between the two countries and other member states of ASEAN, ensuring continued expansion, deepening, and effectiveness for mutual benefit. The forum is honored by the presence of His Excellency Mr. Sonexay Siphandone, Prime Minister of the Lao PDR, and delivers the keynote address for the event. Additionally, representatives from the Investment Promotion and Management Committee Office, The Ministry of Industry and Commerce, and the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry exchange information on the business environment, investment promotion policies, and investment opportunities in key sectors such as modern agriculture, clean energy, sustainable mineral extraction, processing industry, transportation and logistics, and carbon credits to 30 participants from the government and private sectors of both Laos and the USA. The topic on reducing import tariffs for goods exported from Laos to USA is also discussed.
Additional Information: USA ranks as the 13th largest investor in Laos among 53 countries, with 103 projects totaling approximately $165 million USD. These investments span nearly all sectors, including services, agriculture, consulting, industry and handicrafts, trade, hotels, and restaurants. Regarding trade relations, Laos and the USA signed a Bilateral Trade Agreement in 2003 and a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement in 2016. In 2023, the United States was Laos’s 5th largest trading partner. By 2024, it had risen to become the 4th largest, driven significantly by exports of solar cells and garments, which accounted for 32.5% and 28.7% of the total export value to the USA, respectively.