Representatives of the Governments of the Republic of Liberia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (PDR) have signed a Joint Communiqué establishing diplomatic relations.

According to a dispatch from Beijing, People’s Republic of China, the impressive ceremony took place at the Kempinski Hotel Lufthansa Center in downtown Beijing on Friday, August 12, 2016.

Signing the Communiqué on behalf of the Government of Liberia was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Liberia to the People’s Republic of China, His Excellency Mr. Dudley McKinley Thomas, while the Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to the People’s Republic of China, Her Excellency Mrs. Vandy Bouthasavong, signed on behalf of the Government of Lao PDR.

Making remarks after the signing ceremony, Ambassador Thomas made note of the historical nature of the event and underscored its importance in forming the basis for the creation of a new platform for expanding and deepening Lao - Liberia relations.

“Liberia, like the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, believes in the principles and purposes of the United Nations and as members of the international community, I am certain, this new relationship between our two countries, will also engender new opportunities for cooperation at the multilateral level as well; in which the promotion and development of closer Africa - Asia ties for increased South-South cooperation, should form a strong component,” Ambassador Thomas asserted.

“Both Liberia and the Lao People’s Democratic Republic have a rendezvous with development and reconstruction,” he furthered, adding, “By sharing experiences and working cooperatively, we can definitely achieve for our two peoples, a lifted standard of living.”

Ambassador Thomas asked his colleague, Ambassador Mrs. Vandy Bouthasavong, to convey to the President of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, His Excellency Mr. Choummaly Sayasone, the warm sentiments and good wishes of Her Excellency Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, President of the Republic of Liberia, for his personal well-being and success and for the Government and people of Lao PDR, continued prosperity and solidarity.

For her part, Ambassador Bouthasavong thanked the Government of Liberia for establishing diplomatic relations with her country. She indicated that Liberia had become the 132^nd country with which Lao PDR, has established diplomatic relations.

The Lao PDR diplomat noted that the step taken by the two countries would establish new parameters for mutually benefiting cooperation at both the bilateral and multilateral levels.

Concluding her remarks, Ambassador Bouthasavong proffered a toast to the good health of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and entertained the hope that cordiality and longevity will characterize the newly established relations between the two countries.

The ceremony was attended by a distinguished array of personalities including the Ambassador of Benin to the People’s Republic of China, who is also Doyen of the ECOWAS Ambassadors in China, H.E. Mr. Sedozan Apithy; the Ambassador of Niger to the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Mr. Inoussa Moustapha; the wife of Ambassador Thomas, Mrs. Hannah Gardiner Thomas; members of the diplomatic and administrative staff of the two embassies and other invited guests.

Lao People’s Democratic Republic, also known as Laos, or commonly referred to its colloquial name of Muang Lao, is a landlocked country in the heart of the Indochinese peninsula of Mainland Southeast Asia, bordered by Myanmar (Burma) and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the south, and Thailand to the west.