DILI, 20 January 2026 (TATOLI) – On January 19, 2026, the Minister of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Agio Pereira, welcomed the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Phongsamouth Anlavan, and her delegation during an official visit to Timor-Leste from January 18–22, 2026.
The meeting was also attended by the vice minister for ASEAN Affairs, Milena Maria da Costa Rangel; Timor-Leste’s Ambassador to Laos, João Freitas da Câmara; and other representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation.
Discussions focused on strengthening bilateral relations between Timor-Leste and Lao PDR, while also exchanging views on matters of common interest at the regional and multilateral levels. Both sides reviewed the current status of cooperation and explored opportunities for collaboration in areas such as economic and technical cooperation, agriculture, human resource development, and institutional exchanges.
Minister Agio Pereira welcomed Vice Minister Anlavan and her delegation, reiterating Timor-Leste’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties. He also expressed gratitude to the Government of Laos for its support of Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN, a historic milestone officially achieved during Malaysia’s Presidency on October 26, 2025.
Concrete measures to strengthen diplomatic cooperation were discussed, including Timor-Leste’s allocation of land in Dili for the establishment of the future resident Embassy of Lao PDR. The parties also highlighted visa exemption regimes for holders of diplomatic, official, and ordinary passports, facilitating mobility and contact between the two countries.
Timor-Leste and Lao PDR have maintained formal diplomatic relations since July 2002. To reinforce regional partnerships, Timor-Leste opened its resident Embassy in Vientiane in July 2014, reflecting its commitment to deepening bilateral relations and cooperation within the ASEAN framework.
TATOLI
