The Embassy of Laos in Berlin

Mr. Mayboua XAYAVONG

Mr. Mayboua XAYAVONG is the esteemed Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the Federal Republic of Germany, assuming the role in 2022. He was born on April 4, 1970, in Mieng Village, Paek District, Xiengkhouang Province, Laos.

Ambassador XAYAVONG has a comprehensive academic background, beginning his education at Luang Namtha High School in Luang Namtha Province from 1981 to 1987. His pursuit of higher education took him abroad to Russia, where he graduated from the University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics in Moscow, obtaining his Bachelor's, Master's, and Ph.D. degrees from 1989 to 1998.

His professional journey began in 2000 as an Officer in the International Economic Division, Economic Affairs Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR. Over the years, Mr XAYAVONG has held increasingly significant roles within the ministry, including Deputy Head of the International Economic Division and Head of the Eastern Europe Division.

From 2009 to 2014, he served as Second Secretary at the Lao Embassy in Moscow, Russia. His experience and expertise were further recognized when he was appointed Deputy Director General, and subsequently Director General, of the Europe and Americas Department within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR.

His multilingual abilities include fluency in his mother tongue, Lao, Russian, and English, skills that have been invaluable throughout his diplomatic service. Ambassador XAYAVONG's career is marked by a dedication to fostering diplomatic relations and promoting Laos' interests on the international stage.

Married, 1 daughter.

Laos became independent in 1953 from French rule, with a constitutional monarchy under Sisavang Vong. Civil war ended the monarchy, when the Communist Pathet Laos movement came to power in 1975. It is a member of the Asia-Pacific Trade Agreement (APTA), Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), East Asia Summit and La Francophonie. Laos applied for membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 1997 and on the 2nd of February 2013, it was granted full membership.

Germany and Laos began their diplomatic relations in 1958. In 1975, both the Federal Republic of Germany and the German Democratic Republic opened embassies in Vientiane. In the years after the revolution, Laos was a priority country of the former GDR’s development cooperation, which the Federal Republic of Germany has successfully continued since 1990.

Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Niebel and Federal Foreign Minister Westerwelle paid official visits to Laos in February 2012 and November 2012, respectively, the latter to attend the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit. A delegation of the German Bundestag’s Parliamentary Friendship Group for Relations with the ASEAN States visited Vientiane in July 2015.

Laos is a pilot country of German development cooperation. German engagement there focuses on two areas: rural development in the country’s poor mountainous regions and support for the Laos economy’s transition from a planned to a more pro-market system, emphasis is being given to providing macroeconomic advice and improving human resources as well as promoting small and medium-sized enterprises.