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US-Laos Trade and Investment: Opportunities and Challenges

Sary Tatpaporn*, Buasawan Simmala**

*California, USA

**Lao PDR; Wisconsin, USA

 

 

Background:

The US and Lao PDR signed the Bilateral Trade Agreement in September 2003. The US Congress passed the NTR legislation to ratify the agreement in November and the President Bush signed it into law in December 2004. 

 

This historical trade agreement paves the way for both American and Lao businesses the opportunities to trade and investment between the two countries. However, the US-Laos trade and investment are very new emerging opportunities with no existing resources and infrastructure. The following are major points for both the opportunities and challenges for the business people to consider. 

 

Opportunities

Challenges

 

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