President off to India and Japan

President Maithripala Sirisena will leave today for India followed by a State visit to Japan.

The Foreign Ministry said yesterday that, at the joint invitation of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emanuel Macron, President Sirisena will undertake an official visit to India from 10-11 March 2018 to take part in the first conference of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) founding members, which will be convened on 11 March in New Delhi.

Over 32 heads of government and high-level delegates are scheduled to attend the ISA Conference. Sri Lanka became a founding member of the ISA on 12 February 2018. 

The major objective of the International Solar Alliance is to enable better harnessing of solar energy as an alternative energy source, and to address specific solar technology deployment needs of solar resource rich countries, located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. The ISA, by this initiative, further aims to address the gaps in the solar energy manufacturing eco-system and to ensure universal energy access, energy equity, and affordability that are common issues facing most of the solar resource rich countries. 

The Government of Sri Lanka joined the ISA in keeping with its policy declaration to prepare the groundwork for the country to fulfill the basic energy requirements of the people through renewable energy sources.  

At the invitation of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Sirisena will then undertake a State visit to Japan from 12 to 17 March 2018.

President Sirisena is scheduled to have an Imperial Audience with Japanese Emperor Akihito on 13 March, and on 14 March, he will meet Prime Minister Abe for summit talks. Following the talks, the Japanese Premier will host the Sri Lankan President to a State dinner. The two leaders will discuss matters of mutual interest to deepen cooperation between the two countries.

A Yen Loan Agreement between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is to be signed during the visit for implementing the Health and Medical Service Improvement Project. 

President Sirisena will attend a business meeting organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (JETRO), which will be co-hosted by the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Tokyo Chamber of Commerce and Industry. During the State visit, the President will also meet with the Sri Lankan community in Japan.