Relationship dossier
Canada
Laos
Relationship assessment
Development assistance and an investment protection agreement underpin Canada–Laos cooperation.
Canada toward Laos
+25Canada has provided development assistance in Laos, including support for education and efforts to address unexploded ordnance. Canada also entered a bilateral foreign investment protection agreement with Laos.
Laos toward Canada
+20Laos entered a bilateral foreign investment protection agreement with Canada, establishing treaty protections for Canadian investment in Laos.
Overall relationship
+25The relationship has a modest cooperative foundation in Canadian development assistance and a bilateral investment protection agreement. These provide concrete channels for cooperation, although the scale and practical effects of the initiatives are unclear.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Canada and Laos maintain a modestly cooperative relationship. Canada has provided development assistance supporting priorities in Laos, including education and efforts to address unexploded ordnance. A bilateral foreign investment protection agreement provides a durable framework for economic cooperation. The scale and implementation of these initiatives are not fully clear.
Key developments
Canada and Laos concluded a bilateral foreign investment protection agreement, which entered into force in 2014.
Major uncertainties
- The scale and continuity of Canadian development assistance to Laos are unclear.
- The practical effects of the bilateral investment protection agreement are unclear.