Laos, Swaziland trade proves fruitful despite
Laos, Swaziland trade proves fruitful despite
Trade between Laos and Swaziland has fluctuated over the last few years while in 2016 alone, trade between the two nations was recorded at US$31.2 million, data shows.
The latest figures compiled recently by the Ministry of Planning and Investment show that the export of gold bars earned Laos over US$32.26 million last year while no other goods were declared in the list of products exported to the tiny African country.
However, in 2015, Laos shipped consumer products and vegetable goods worth about US$10,000 to Swaziland.
Vegetable products were the major component of exports worth over US$67,000 in 2014, while bilateral trade between the two countries stood at US$81,000 in 2013.
The value of goods imported from Swaziland to Laos was recorded at US$3.82 million, with electrical and electronic items being the largest category.
Swaziland is among a few other African countries that share a trade connection with Laos.
Although Laos has difficulties with logistics, the country may now be turning a problem into opportunity by allowing a private company to build a dry port at the Savan Park (Zone C) in the Savan-Seno Special Economic Zone in southern Laos to enable logistics integration, both regionally and globally.
The dry port enables Laos, as a land-linked country, to connect with seven other countries in the region. Offering both cargo transport and customs clearance it is lessening Laos’ dependence on seaports.
It is expected that trade relations with regional and international communities will increase once Laos has better infrastructure, especially the Laos-China railway which is set to be completed in 2021.
