Baku:The official visit of Thongloun Sisoulith, President of the Lao PDR, to Azerbaijan marked the occasion for the first Lao-Azerbaijan Investment Promotion Forum held in Baku on October 14, 2026. Organized by 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, the forum served as a platform to enhance trade and investment collaboration between the two nations.

According to Lao News Agency, the forum gathered 80 representatives from both the public and private sectors, focusing on industries such as energy, tourism, finance, logistics, manufacturing, consultancy services, and construction. The event aimed to foster business networking and explore opportunities for expanding trade and investment cooperation.

The forum began with opening remarks from Dr. Manothong Vongxay, Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of the Lao PDR, and Mr. Anar Akhundov, Deputy Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan. Both officials emphasized the strong bilateral relationship over the past 30 years and the potential for further cooperation by leveraging each country's comparative advantages.

Dr. Vanthana Nolintha, Permanent Secretary of the Investment Promotion and Management Committee, outlined the Lao PDR's investment policies, highlighting the government's support for both domestic and foreign private investments. He invited Azerbaijani businesses to consider opportunities in high-value agricultural processing, mineral processing, petroleum, logistics, and tourism, emphasizing the openness to downstream mining industries and the possibility of constructing an oil refinery in the Lao PDR.

The forum concluded with discussions among government officials on future cooperation mechanisms, while business representatives engaged in B2B discussions to explore partnerships, especially in energy trading, mineral processing, and infrastructure development.