President to address G77+China Leaders’ Summit in Cuba next week

President Ranil Wickremesinghe 

President Ranil Wickremesinghe is set to depart for Cuba to address the G77+China Leaders’ Summit next week.

The summit titled 'Current Development Challenges: Role of Science, Technology and Innovation' is scheduled for 15 and 16 September 2023 in Havana, Cuba. President Wickremesinghe’s participation in the summit comes as an official invitation from Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

Alongside the Summit, there are plans for bilateral discussions between President Wickremesinghe and the Cuban President to further strengthen the cooperation between Sri Lanka and Cuba.

 The G77+China Leaders’ Summit represents the largest intergovernmental coalition of 134 developing nations, as recognized by the United Nations. It serves as a platform for Southern countries to voice and promote their shared economic interests while enhancing their collaborative negotiating capabilities.

This conference offers an opportunity to address contemporary challenges in the realms of science, technology and innovation, exploring cooperative solutions, particularly through inter-Southern collaboration.

The leaders of the countries are expected to adopt the ‘Havana Declaration’ during the summit, which will outline guidelines for reforms and new approaches to enhance cooperation among Southern countries in the fields of science, technology and innovation.

Foreign Affairs Ministry Secretary Aruni Wijewardena and a delegation comprising senior officials from the Foreign Affairs Ministry will also accompany the President to the conference.