Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Sunday Mar 30, 2025
Thursday, 27 March 2025 04:32 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers at their meeting on Monday approved submitting a new working plan with a clear timeline to advance Sri Lanka’s bid for Sectoral Dialogue Partner (SDP) status with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The move comes as part of Sri Lanka’s efforts to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with ASEAN countries, which collectively account for 6.5% of the global gross domestic product (GDP) and include some of the world’s fastest-growing economies.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa announcing the weekly Cabinet decisions yesterday said the move seeks to revive and advance Sri Lanka’s application by submitting a revised action plan, aligning with other formal procedures of the ASEAN.
Although non-Southeast Asian countries cannot gain full ASEAN membership, it allows external States to engage with the bloc through partnerships such as the SDP, which is granted based on the country’s contributions to ASEAN’s objectives.
“If successful, the SDP status would allow Sri Lanka to enhance cooperation with ASEAN in key areas, offering opportunities for economic collaboration, trade expansion and investment growth,” he explained at the post-Cabinet meeting media briefing.
Sri Lanka first expressed interest in obtaining SDP status in 2019 by submitting a letter of intent (LoI) and a proposal to the ASEAN Secretariat. However, no further action was taken since then.
The proposal to this effect, submitted by Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.
