BY Adib Noor

Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith and spouse Naly Sisoulith, along with their delegation, arrived in Bandar Seri Begawan on Monday afternoon for a three-day state visit to the Sultanate.

On arrival at Brunei International Airport, they were welcomed by Minister of Home Affairs as the Minister-in-Attendance Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Ahmaddin bin Haji Abdul Rahman and spouse; Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof and spouse; Minister of Primary Resources and Tourism Dato Seri Setia Dr Haji Abdul Manaf bin Haji Metussin and spouse, as well as Ambassador of Laos to Brunei Darussalam Sengdavanh Vongsay.

During the state visit, His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam, and Her Majesty Duli Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Hajah Saleha binti Al-Marhum Pengiran Pemancha Pengiran Anak Haji Mohamed Alam are expected to receive in audience the Laos president and spouse as well as their delegation.

This includes a state welcoming ceremony; a bilateral meeting; a signing ceremony of memoranda of understanding; and a state banquet at Istana Nurul Iman Tuesday evening.

The state visit is Thongloun Sisoulith’s first visit to Brunei Darussalam as the Lao President.

Diplomatic relations between the Sultanate and Laos were established on July 27, 1993, and since then, the two countries have cooperated extensively in the areas of education, defence, culture, youth and sports as well as food security.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin