Mr. Zak Malimar Vice President and Managing Director of IT Department joined US-ASEAN Business council’s business mission to the Lao PDR
On August 31-September 1 the US-ASEAN Business Council mounted its annual Laos Business Mission in Vientiane. The delegation of seven leading U.S. companies was co-led by Ambassador Michael Michalak, Senior Vice President and Regional Managing Director of the US-ASEAN Business Council and Desarack Teso, Director, Corporate, External & Legal Affairs for Microsoft, Chair of the Council’s Laos Committee. The purpose of the Mission was to identify opportunities to further develop U.S.-Laos commercial ties, as well as identifying remaining regulatory barriers to increased bilateral trade and investment.
Although current two-way trade totaled only $86 million in 2016, there is potential for growth in sectors including energy, manufacturing, healthcare, and the digital economy. The delegation was received by Minister of Industry and Commerce Khemmani Pholsena, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications Thansamay Kommasith, Minister of Public Health Dr. Bounkong Syhavong, Minister of Education and Sports Sengduan Lachanthaboun, Deputy Governor of the Bank of Lao PDR Vathana Dalaloy, Vice Minister of Finance Thipphakone Chanthavongsa, and Vice Minister of Planning and Investment Khamlian Pholsena. The delegation also held a luncheon with representatives from the World Bank, IFC, USAID, and the Savan-SENO Special Economic Zone; participated in a roundtable discussion with senior officials from the Ministry of Industry and Commerce and the Ministry of Planning and Investment; and received a briefing from the Honorable Rena Bitter, U.S. Ambassador to Laos.