PM Harini engages in high-level interactions with French Govt. on France visit

On the sidelines of the International Expert Conference on the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura at UNESCO, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya undertook a series of high-level engagements in the bilateral sphere during her official visit to France from 31 March to 2 April. 

The meetings were undertaken with a view to further consolidate the existing multifaceted partnership between Sri Lanka and France across a broad range of sectors.

Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya had a meeting with former Prime Minister and National Education, Higher Education and Research State Minister Élisabeth Borne at the Education Ministry on 1 April. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest, including education, higher education, and vocational training, cooperation in the Indian Ocean, maritime affairs, climate action, and exchange of high-level visits, among other spheres. Both sides took note of the upward momentum in Sri Lanka-France bilateral relations and reiterated the shared interest to build further on existing synergies. 

On the invitation of the French Government, the Prime Minister also attended the Concluding Segment of the SOS Ocean Conference organised by the Government of France in partnership with the Oceano Azul Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies at Musée de l’Homme on 31 March. The Conference was organised with the attendance of Heads of State and Government in the-run up to the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), with the aim of setting up an action plan to protect the seas as the world’s oceans face unprecedented threats from pollution and climate change.

Addressing the Conference, the Prime Minister reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s unwavering commitment to ocean conservation, sustainable marine governance, ecosystem restoration, and enhanced regional cooperation as an island nation located in the heart of the Indian Ocean. The Prime Minister underscored Sri Lanka’s advocacy of enhanced regional cooperation on biodiversity protection, plastic pollution, and in building a sustainable and resilient blue economy. She also reiterated Sri Lanka’s interest in the upcoming UNOC3, which will be held in Nice in June this year. 

During the Conference, the Prime Minister also had occasion to meet and exchange greetings with French Republic President Emmanuel Macron, who conveyed his warm greetings to President Anura Kumara Disanayake. President Macron delivered the concluding remarks at the Conference. 

The Prime Minister also interacted and exchanged greetings with former Chile President H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, as well as European Council President António Costa, who also addressed the high-level segments of the Conference. 

The Prime Minister was hosted to a breakfast meeting by the France-Sri Lanka Friendship Group President Senator Vanina Paoli-Gagin in the French Senate on 2 April. The Friendship Group President warmly welcomed the Prime Minister to the Senate and the discussions underscored the importance of France-Sri Lanka relations, especially in the context of the Indian Ocean, and avenues of further elevating friendship and cooperation, building on existing synergies. 

The Senate Friendship Group welcomed the recent formation of the counterpart Sri Lanka-France Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Sri Lanka Parliament under the presidency of the Women and Child Affairs Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, with Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya holding the position of Patron of the Group. Exchange of visits by the two parliamentary Friendship Groups was also discussed. A cross-party group of Senators from the Friendship Group comprising Senators Sylvie Goy-Chavent, Dany Wattebled, Didier Marie and Vivette Lopez attended the breakfast meeting with Senator Paoli-Gagin. 

The Senate Friendship Group also facilitated an official tour of the historic Senate building (Luxembourg Palace) following the meeting, and the Prime Minister was invited to sign the Dignitaries Book placed in the historic Senate Library. 

On the invitation of the prestigious French University Sciences Po, Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya also participated in an interactive session with students titled “60 Minutes with Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka,” which was moderated by CNRS Research Director and CERI Director Professor Christophe Jaffrelot. The event was organised by the Paris School of International Affairs and the South Asia Programme at CERI, Sciences Po, and was attended by over 250 students who engaged in a vibrant Q&A with the Prime Minister on political developments in Sri Lanka, democracy and geopolitics of South Asia, Sri Lanka’s foreign policy imperatives, as well as multilateral issues of relevance such as climate change and migration, among other topics. 

The Prime Minister also met the Sciences Po Director Luis Vassy and engaged in a discussion on ongoing academic collaboration between Sciences Po and Sri Lankan universities, including the University of Colombo. She also had discussions with Inalco (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilisations) Paris Emeritus Professor of History Professor Eric Meyer, who is a specialist on Sri Lanka studies. 

A “Partnership Agreement between the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka related to the improvement of French Teaching in Sri Lanka” was signed during the visit between the Sri Lankan Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education Ministry and the France Europe and Foreign Affairs Ministry. Support for French language teaching in Sri Lanka was discussed in the context of this Agreement. 

The Prime Minister also visited the Musée Guimet, which is the French National Museum of Asian Arts, housing a world-renowned collection of Asian art. The curators also showed a few artefacts from Sri Lanka available in the museum to the Prime Minister.

The delegation of the Prime Minister comprised the Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi, Central Cultural Fund Director General Dr. Nilan Cooray, and Archaeology Department Director General Prof. Thusitha Mendis. The Prime Minister was assisted by Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO Manisha Gunasekera and senior staff of the Sri Lanka Embassy in France.