German Parliamentary delegation to visit Sri Lanka this week

Friday, 1 March 2024 00:25 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Head of the Delegation and Member of Parliament Renate Kuenast

A four-member delegation of the German Parliament led by former Federal Minister Renate Kuenast is scheduled to pay an official visit to Sri Lanka from 1 to 5 March 2024.

The multi-party delegation will hold several official meetings during their stay. They will have an exchange with Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs M. U. M. Ali Sabry, Hon. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena as well as with the leader of the Opposition Hon. Sajith Premadasa. The delegation will discuss with the newly appointed office bearers of the Sri Lanka - Germany Parliamentary Friendship Association on how to establish a regular exchange between MPs of both countries. Discussions will also be held with country representatives of International Financial Institutions, of civil society/think tanks and with the business community. A visit to one of our flagship projects in Sri Lanka, the Ceylon German Technical Training Institute in Moratuwa (German Tech) is also an important part of their schedule. Since Germany is also strongly engaged in the field of reconciliation, the delegation will meet civil society organisations cooperating with GIZ in implementing SCOPE (Social Cohesion and Peace).

During the visit, the delegation is set to travel to the Uva Province to visit development projects funded by the German government and the European Union. The members of the delegation will experience the pekoe trail, a sustainable tourism project co-funded by the EU. Uva Shakthi Foundation, a renowned organisation dedicated to the empowerment and well-being of communities, will facilitate a discussion about the current situation in the Tea industry/plantations. A visit to Lanka Organic Agriculture Movement (LOAM) in Kumbukkana, an organisation that promotes organic agriculture in Sri Lanka, is also scheduled.

This visit will allow the members of Parliament to observe and inform themselves of recent developments in Sri Lanka and to discuss further avenues of bilateral relations between the two countries.