
AKIPRESS.COM - Minister of Road and Transport of Mongolia Delgersaikhan Borkhuu met with Minister of Public Works and Transport of Laos Ngampasong Muongmani to exchange views on cooperation in the transport sector between the two countries on the sidelines the 12th Meeting of the Mongolia-Laos Intergovernmental Commission, Montsame reported.
Minister Delgersaikhan Borkhuu expressed his commitment to expanding bilateral relations and cooperation across all sectors, particularly in trade, economy, business investment, and tourism. He underlined the crucial role of the transport sector in enhancing people-to-people exchanges.
"Mongolia and Laos share several common characteristics, such as a small population, vast territory, and landlocked status, which make the development of an efficient transport network and the enhancement of transit transport capacity a key priority. The two countries have opportunities to share best practices and experiences in this regard. A Working Group from the Ministry of Road and Transport of Mongolia conducted a study last year on the 413 km high-speed railway connecting Laos and China," the Minister highlighted.
Furthermore, Minister Delgersaikhan affirmed that Mongolia is open to conducting freight transportation between the two countries within the framework of the regulations and operations of the Organization for the Cooperation between Railways (OSJD). He invited the Laotian side to participate in the OSJD meeting scheduled to be held in Ulaanbaatar in March 2025.
The idea of establishing a Mongolia-Laos road transport corridor has been discussed in previous visits. Delgersaikhan Borkhuu proposed the Laotian side to join the trilateral agreement between the governments of Mongolia, Russia and China on international road transport within the Asian Highway Network. He further emphasized that this agreement is open to other countries and that Laos' accession would enable the country to transport goods not only to Mongolia but also to Russia via transit routes.
Highlighting the importance of aviation relations in enhancing tourism, Minister Delgersaikhan proposed joint efforts to implement the Agreement on Aviation Relations signed between Mongolia and Laos in 2023. He expressed Mongolia's readiness to support airlines interested in operating direct, charter, or seasonal flights between the two countries.
Minister of Public Works and Transport of Laos Ngampasong Muongmani expressed gratitude for Minister Delgersaikhan's visit, noting that it was the first visit of a Minister of Road and Transport of Mongolia to Laos.
"I am glad that the regular intergovernmental meeting between the two countries is taking place after some delay. I am confident that the meeting would serve as an important platform to advance bilateral cooperation in all sectors," Ngampasong Muongmani noted.
Minister Muongmani endorsed the proposals made by the Mongolian side, emphasizing that transport cooperation is the foundation of economic collaboration between the two countries. He acknowledged that bilateral trade volume remains low and highlighted the importance of diversifying trade and exchanging unique products. In particular, the Minister expressed Laos' interest in importing meat and meat products from Mongolia, while offering to supply fruits, vegetables, and wood products to Mongolia.
The Minister suggested the two sides work together to develop transport and logistics solutions to facilitate bilateral trade. Moreover, as both Mongolia and Laos are landlocked countries, the Minister stressed the need for mutual support in ensuring seamless transit through neighboring countries, improving border connectivity, and enhancing access to maritime transport. He underlined the importance of cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks.