Belarus and Laos sign visa exemption agreement for holders of national passports

Belarus and the Lao People's Democratic Republic have signed an intergovernmental agreement to waive visa requirements for holders of national passports. The agreement was concluded during the official visit of Belarusian Minister of Foreign Affairs Maksim Ryzhenkov to Vientiane.

According to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the visa exemption will strengthen bilateral relations across multiple areas, including business cooperation, public diplomacy, tourism, and humanitarian initiatives. This is reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.

The foreign ministers also considered the possibility of enhancing political consultations at the deputy ministerial level, which will enable the two countries to review and update existing initiatives.

They discussed trade and economic collaboration, including the implementation of agreements reached by the Presidents of Belarus and Laos during the BRICS summit in Kazan in October 2024.

Key topics included the diversification of bilateral trade, the removal of barriers in the financial sector, the development of new financial instruments, and joint efforts in food security.

Both countries reaffirmed their mutual support within the United Nations and explored potential mechanisms to strengthen cooperation within regional organisations such as the Eurasian Economic Union and ASEAN.

Photo: iStock