Opening of the 13th Asia-Europe Business Forum

On November 4, the 13th Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF 13) officially opened in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. More than 300 businesses from Asian and European countries, including many of the world's leading businesses in the fields of energy, logistics, mining and banking, attended.

Speaking at the forum, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong stressed the importance of the AEBF, which comes at a time when the world is facing many challenges. The difficulties caused by the recent financial crisis have caused economic decline and directly affected people's lives.

Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong speaks at the opening ceremony of the 13th Asia-Europe Business Forum. (Source: THX/TTXVN)

The Lao Prime Minister hoped that the forum would be a good opportunity for businesses to discuss and exchange useful ideas, and find appropriate measures to cope with the above-mentioned challenges and difficulties in order to develop the economy, trade and investment in the new period in the world in general and in the two continents of Asia and Europe in particular. He called on Asian and European business leaders to actively exchange views and thoughts in a specific, reasonable and constructive manner to make the economy, trade and investment of the two continents develop strongly and sustainably.

Lao Prime Minister Thammavong also introduced Laos' economic development strategy as well as efforts to complete the Millennium Development Goals by 2012, efforts to reduce poverty and remove Laos from the list of least developed countries by 2020. The Prime Minister affirmed that Laos will continue to cooperate constructively with countries in the international community for mutual development, and expressed his belief that with the right and appropriate measures and mechanisms to jointly solve problems, promote and encourage economic, trade and investment relations between the two continents, cooperation between Asian and European businesses will certainly be successful.

With the theme "Caring for the Earth for Sustainable Economy and Business in Asia and Europe", over the two days of November 4-5, AEBF 13 will discuss many important issues such as current and future trends in economic and business relations between Asia and Europe, growth prospects in the two continents, good governance in the public and business sectors for smooth trade and investment in the two continents, access to finance in a rapidly changing world, challenges to the environment and food security, energy and sustainable management of natural resources, markets and connectivity between Europe and the sub-regions of Asia with a focus on the Greater Mekong sub-region.

The recommendations of this forum will be submitted to the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit (ASEM 9)./.

According to (TTXVN) - DT