Vientiane, September 2023. Thongloun Sisoulith, president of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic paid a State visits to Cuba on 13-14 September for strengthening historic cooperation and and friendly relations, invited by the first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and president of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez. After the Lao dignitary will participate will take part in the Summit of the Group of 77 and China, to be held in Havana on September 15 and 16.
The Cuban President affirmed that Sisoulith's visit “is an expression of the ties of friendship, brotherhood and solidarity that unite us - which are indestructible ties, they are ties between brother countries -; and in particular that you have agreed to come to this Summit of the Group of 77 and China, also reflects - in addition to Laos' commitment to the cause of the Group of 77 - the support for Cuba in the pro-tempore presidency; and for that, we appreciate it from the bottom of our hearts.”
Díaz-Canel made explicit the desire to appreciate this visit as the beginning of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of relations between both nations - a moment that will take place in 2024. And then he shared other impressions:
“I have, he said, pleasant memories of the visits I have made to Laos, and in particular the last one we made in 2018. And we see this as the possibility of continuing the dialogues we had on that occasion.” And in the same line of thought he stated: “I think it is very significant, based on all these things that unite us, that you are the second delegation that we receive, officially, of those that are participating in the Summit of the Group of the 77 and China.” When Díaz-Canel Bermúdez -as President of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba- arrived in Laos five years ago, it was the first time in history that a dignitary from the Caribbean country visited the Asian nation.
That agenda included the meeting of the Cuban President with Thongloun Sisoulith, then Prime Minister of the host country, who offered a welcome in his office. Sisoulith said: “I am confident that the ties of friendship between us will increase.” And he was emphatic in a spirit that remains intact:
Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, underlined that “the name Cuba means friend, brother, man who fights for common ideas. We will always be together. Therefore, your visit is an encouragement to continue fighting, working, and to continue strengthening relationships.”
Among the Lao PDR delegation members was Comrade Saleumxay Kommasith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs who also visited Cuba in 2019, as well as other officials.
On the Cuban side, the member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Foreign Affairs (Minrex), Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, attended; the head of the Department of International Relations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Emilio Lozada García; the vice minister of Minrex, Anayansi Rodríguez Camejo, among other leaders.
Sisoulith visited the Fidel Castro Center and held important meeting with the Embassy of Laos in Havana.
Embassy of Cuba