JOC Staff | Jan 11, 2013 5:18PM EST
Laos will officially become the 158th member of the World Trade Organization on Feb. 2.
The country last week notified the WTO that it had ratified its membrership agreement, which had been approved by the WTO General Council in October. Negotiations on Laos’ accession had lasted 15 years, the WTO said.
Four nations joined the multilateral trade body in 2012: Montenegro, Russia, Samoa and Vanuatu.