LIMASSOL, Cyprus — Earlier this month, the annual summit of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean) was held in Vientiane, the capital of Laos. This should have been a significant event for the landlocked country, as leaders and representatives from Asean countries and beyond were in attendance to show support.
Each year, Asean has a rotating member-state chairmanship, and its primary task is to host a number of high-level Asean meetings away from the Asean headquarters in Jakarta. This is no easy feat for Laos, a country relatively wanting in development. The country had to ensure comprehensive conference facilities and adequate air transportation, which is particularly crucial as not every Asean member country's capital or major city has direct flights to Vientiane. Over the past year, Laos has worked hard as the Asean chair, and now it can perhaps consider its efforts a moderate success.
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