SINGAPORE - Singapore's Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan will make a two-day visit to Laos to attend the Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said on Thursday (Feb 25).
The retreat, taking place over Friday (Feb 26) and Saturday (Feb 27) in the Laos capital of Vientiane is the first in a series of Asean meetings that Laos will be hosting as Chair of Asean in 2016, the MFA said in a statement.
It is also the first Asean ministerial-level meeting to be held since the establishment of the Asean Community in January and the Foreign Ministers will be discussing the implementation of the Asean Community vision, the MFA added.
The ministers will also exchange views on the bloc's external relations as well as on regional and international issues.
The Asean Community seeks to draw members of the 48-year-old grouping closer together by integrating their economies, working together to improve the lives of their people, and ensuring that peace and stability are maintained in the region.
