Vientiane:Laos and Australia are set to enhance their media partnership, reflecting on the continued growth of their bilateral cooperation over the past seventy years. The expansion of the Laos-Australia Comprehensive Partnership, signed in 2024, was a focal point during recent discussions.
According to Lao News Agency, the discussions explored opportunities to bolster cooperation in various sectors, including media, human resource development, trade, and investment. The engagement of Australia with Party organizations and other areas of mutual interest were also key topics.
Ambassador Jones expressed gratitude to Mr. Khamphan and Lao media colleagues for their support in strengthening Laos-Australia relations. She highlighted Australia's ongoing commitment to engaging with the media sector, especially following the transfer of the information portfolio to the Commission in 2025.
Australia is eager to facilitate exchanges of experience and expertise between media organizations in both countries. Australian news agencies, such as the ABC, are actively working on content sharing and capacity building with Lao media to enhance cultural links and mutual understanding. ABC's inclusion in the LAOSAT programming package allows Lao audiences access to Australian programs, further strengthening cultural ties.
Australia has supported various media sector capacity-building initiatives over the past three years. This includes the ABC's Digital Dialogue programme, the Stories Without Borders Laos-Australia Content Creation Hackathon, and workshops on media business sustainability and AI usage. Additionally, study tours for Lao media leaders to engage with their Australian counterparts have been supported.
Ambassador Jones also appreciated Laos' choice of Australia to support a series of geostrategic and geoeconomic workshops in June, co-hosted with Party and state agencies of the Lao PDR. Australia looks forward to supporting similar initiatives to promote professional expertise exchange and strengthen collaboration with Laos in the future.