Lao People's Democratic Republic

Brazil and Laos established diplomatic relations in 1995. The Brazilian Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, is responsible for representing Brazil to the government of Laos. On the Laotian side, the country’s Embassy in Havana (Cuba) is responsible for overseeing bilateral relations with Brazil.

Since 2012, the two countries have maintained a mechanism for political consultations, aimed at holding periodic high-level meetings on topics relevant to the bilateral and international agenda.

Within the scope of bilateral cooperation, together with the World Food Programme (WFP/FAO), the National Fund for the Development of Education (FNDE) and the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company (EMATER) take part in an initiative that provides for Brazilian support through targeted consultancies, the organization of workshops, and technical visits in school feeding programs.

In 2018, bilateral trade amounted to $4.6 million, including $ 2.8 million in Brazilian exports and $1.8 million in imports from Laos. The country is one of the ten members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), founded in 1967. In 2018, Brazil’s trade with ASEAN countries totaled more than $19.4 billion.

Chronology of bilateral relations

2018 – The 1st  Meeting of Political Consultations is held in Vientiane (September)
2012 – Visit to Brazil by the Vice Prime Minister of Laos, Somsavat Lengsavad, to take part in the Rio+20 Conference (June)
2012 – Launch of the irrigation project in Laos funded by the IBSA Fund (June)
2012 – Signing of the first two bilateral agreements on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passports and on political consultations (March)
2008 – Visit to Brazil by Laos’s Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bounkeut Samsongsak
2007 – Visit to Brazil by Laos’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thongloun Sisoulith
2005 – Visit to Vientiane by Ambassador Luiz Augusto de Araújo Castro, as special envoy of the President of the Republic
1998 – Visit to Brazil by Laos’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Somsavat Lengsavad
1996 – Establishment of the Embassy of Brazil in Vientiane, concurrent with Bangkok
1995 – Establishment of diplomatic relations between Brazil and Laos