Official delegation from Sri Lanka to visit Reunion Island

On invitation from the French Agency for Development (AFD), an Official Delegation headed by Ministry of National Policies and Economic Affairs Secretary M.I.M. Rafeek will visit Reunion Island from 1 to 7 of April.

The delegation is comprised of key public officers, Department of External Resources Director General Rathnayake, Department of National Planning Director General Mudalige and representatives from Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development, National Water Supply and Drainage Board and Ceylon Electricity Board.

Sri Lanka, although 25 times larger than Reunion Island, shares with its Indian Ocean sister-island similar opportunities and constraints, linked to its island character, geomorphology (central mountainous area), tropical climate and climatic zones (distinctive dry and wet zones).

AFD Country Director Martin Parent, commenting on the proposed visit, said: “AFD, a partner to Sri Lanka in key sectors such as drinking water and sanitation, energy, urban development and irrigation, organises this trip for a delegation of officials to have peer to peer discussions on the solutions developed by Reunion Island which faces similar opportunities and constraints: how to increase the share of renewable energies in an isolated power grid, how to invest sustainably in collective waste water treatment schemes, how to plan sustainable urban development in coastal tourist areas.”

This visit will be an opportunity to be in contact with the highest authorities of the Reunion Island, with a view to fostering cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Reunion Island. Discussions are also planned with the business community of Reunion Island in order to present them key infrastructure development projects to be implemented in Sri Lanka under Private and Public Partnership (PPP) basis.