Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong on Sunday called for stronger cooperation among the economies of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the European Union (EU).
“I believe all this will form a strong basis for fostering closer ties and cooperation as well to overcome all impediments and to bring about mutual benefits to the people of the two continents,” he said at the opening of the ongoing Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM 9) in Vientiane.
One of the ASEM attendees is President Benigno Aquino III, who is also in Laos to promote Philippine trade and investments.
"The Filipino community here actively partnered with the Embassy to prepare the program and give the President a grand welcome,” said Ambassador to Laos Maria Lumen Isleta about the community’s reception of Aquino when he arrived.
"Some of them, particularly those working in the mining sites, traveled from far away areas to be present during the dinner and be on hand to welcome the President," she added.
There are around 550 Filipinos working in Laos, most of them in Vientiane. Most of them are professionals and skilled workers in the education, mining, engineering, agriculture and services sectors. Some work as consultants in non-governmental and international organizations such as the United Nations, the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank.
In his address, Thammavong said governments in the two continents need to adopt common measures for cooperation to address the impact of the recent financial crisis, environmental challenges posed by economic development, food security and sustainable use of natural resources.-GMA News (November 05, 2012 8:07PM)
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