2015 is under way and is already shaping up to be another big year for us at the British Embassy. We’re well into our third year of operation since our historic re-opening in 2012. When I look at the range and breadth of our activity in recent months, I’m reminded of how well established we now are in Laos and how far we have come in the last two and a half years or so. From a visit by our Trade Envoy Lord Puttnam (the third since we reopened the Embassy) to my own travels (London for the re-opening of the Lao Embassy, Bangkok for briefings to British business, DaNang for a trilateral UK/Laos/Vietnam university initiative), from our training workshops on climate change to anti-money laundering and trade facilitation, and the work on our diplomatic footprint (Ambassador’s Residence renovated and occupied, new Embassy building under construction). You can read about all of these and other activities in the announcements section on the front page of the website and on the Embassy’s Facebook page.
2015 will be no different. We have the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the UK and Laos which will be celebrated later in the year. To coincide with this, we aim to hold the first round of the UK/Laos Political Consultations Dialogue, following signature of the bilateral MOU in London last November. This will be especially timely as Laos prepares for its Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2016. I am expecting this year to be a big one also for British business in Laos with some important launches of British products and services in Laos, starting with the official launch of Jaguar Cars later this week. I will be speaking at that event and am really looking forward to it!
Our work continues to go from strength to strength in other areas also such as education and development co-operation, human rights, UXO clearance support and of course in provision of public services. On the latter point, please note in your diaries our forthcoming visa application dates for the rest of the year if you intend to travel to the UK: 19 March, 23 April, 4 June, 9 July, 24 September, 22 October, 19 November and 17 December. You can find more information here. I am also pleased to report strong growth in the number of Lao people visiting the UK – whether for tourism, study or business: a 62% increase in the last 12 months!
I am also excited about the construction of our new Embassy building alongside my Residence just off Rue Nehru. Work is progressing well and we expect to move in by the end of the year. We will then have a combined Embassy/Residence platform once more and a highly recognisable statement of our diplomatic presence here in Vientiane. We’ll keep you updated on progress!
Finally, we will have a changeover of Ambassador this year as I come to the end of my Ambassadorial mission in June. But there is still plenty of time between now and then to continue my important work of developing our relationship with Laos to the next level!