Lao delegation attends Indonesian president’s swearing-in ceremony

Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith last weekend led a Lao delegation to attend the oath of office ceremony of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, who was sworn in for a final term in the post.
Mr Saleumxay attended the event as a special envoy of Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith at the invitation of the Indonesian government.
High-ranking delegates from Asean member states, China, Australia, the United States, Republic of Korea, Japan, and other friendly nations attended the ceremony in Jakarta.
The oath of office ceremony for the posts of president and vice-president is an essential symbol of the political regime and administration of Indonesia. The country’s constitution states that the elected president and vice-president have to give an oath at the national parliament before officially heading up the country’s administration.
Laos and the Republic of Indonesia established diplomatic relations on August 30, 1957. The relationship between the two countries in political, economic, cultural, social, education and other sectors has been continuously amplified over more than six decades.
Some milestones in the relationship were the official visit to Indonesia by the Lao minister of foreign affairs to attend the fifth meeting of the Laos-Indonesia Joint Cooperation Commission in 2017. The Lao prime minister also visited the country in the same year to strengthen the friendly ties and good cooperation between the two countries.
In addition, Indonesia’s minister of foreign affairs visited Laos in 2016, and the Minister of State Owned Enterprises, Ms Rini Soemarno, and Lao Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office, Mr Alounkeo Kittikhoun, exchanged visits in June and August respectively to promote bilateral trade and investment.
“Attendance at the oath of office ceremony by the Lao delegation fulfills the persistent desire of Laos to strengthen the friendly ties and good cooperation between Laos and other countries in the region and around the world, especially between Laos and Indonesia, which are in the Asean family,” a press release from the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated.
“This also reflects the sincere support of the Lao government and people for the government and people of Indonesia on this auspicious occasion,” the press release said. 

By Times Reporters
(Latest Update October 24, 2019)