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Coffee is more than just a beverage; it’s a bridge connecting people, cultures, and opportunities. This was the central theme at “Coffee Connections: ASEAN and Australia”, an event hosted by the Australian Embassy in Laos on November 26, 2024. With the aroma of freshly brewed coffee filling the air in the backyard of Lab De Line Laos, the gathering celebrated the shared love for this cherished drink and its role in fostering ties between Southeast Asia and Australia.
Deputy Australian Ambassador to Laos, Benita Sommerville, set the tone with an engaging message: “Coffee has a special ability to bring people together — to meet, to talk, to connect.” She highlighted the unique power of coffee to unite diverse communities, reflecting on its historical and economic significance.
Laos, nestled within Southeast Asia’s coffee belt, boasts ideal growing conditions in regions like the Bolaven Plateau. Producing over 80% of the country’s coffee, Paksong is a key player in this vital industry. Lao coffee’s reputation for quality has reached international markets, and its trade fosters cross-cultural connections — especially with coffee-loving Australia, where people consume a staggering six billion cups annually.
Australia’s rich café culture, exemplified by Melbourne’s claim to the highest number of cafes per capita worldwide, resonates with ASEAN’s growing coffee scene. Vittoria Coffee, a pioneering Australian brand, and Old Quarter Coffee Merchants, an Australian company sourcing beans directly from smallholder farmers in Southeast Asia, exemplify how coffee trade strengthens relationships between the regions.
This year marks 50 years of ASEAN-Australia dialogue relations, underscoring a commitment to peace, stability, and prosperity. Laos’s leadership as the 2024 ASEAN Chair has further bolstered this partnership, with milestones like the “Invested: Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040” driving two-way trade and investment.
As attendees sipped on a special “Village Blend” featuring beans from Laos, Indonesia, and Myanmar, they savored not only the rich flavors but also the shared aspirations of two regions united by their love for coffee. Through events like this, the friendship between Laos and Australia continues to brew stronger.
