Thursday Jan 16, 2025
Thursday Jan 16, 2025
Monday, 2 December 2024 03:03 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath has extended a formal invitation to the newly appointed Ambassadors and High Commissioners to participate in the upcoming Independence Day celebrations.
The invitation was made during a meeting held at the Foreign Affairs Ministry with nine newly appointed Ambassadors and a High Commissioner, who recently presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
The new diplomats represent Burkina Faso, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Belarus, Armenia, Spain, Congo, Guinea, and Kenya. The meeting served as a platform to discuss opportunities for strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in the economic and trade sector.
The delegates expressed their intention to establish embassies in Sri Lanka in a move to strengthen diplomatic ties.
The delegates also proposed to reach new agreements to enhance economic and trade relations with Sri Lanka.
The Minister welcomed the proposals and assured that the agreements would be thoroughly reviewed.
Foreign Minister Herath also proposed several initiatives to strengthen Sri Lanka’s international ties, focusing on boosting tourist arrivals from Central Asia and Western countries, creating professional employment opportunities abroad particularly in IT/BPM, and increasing scholarships for Sri Lankans.
During discussions with African ambassadors, Minister Herath reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to supporting African nations economically and politically, particularly in sectors such as construction, agriculture, and energy. He emphasised Sri Lankan businesses’ interest in expanding its presence in African markets, encouraged by the potential for collaboration in key industries.
The meeting also explored opportunities for Sri Lanka to export goods to Europe and to import specific raw materials from African countries, signalling a mutual interest in deepening economic cooperation.
