French Ambassador tours the country

During the past two weeks, Ambassador of France Christine Robichon, visited Matara, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi and Mullaittivu districts, where she met with Government Agents, representatives of civil society and local politicians.

In Matara, she was received by the Deputy Vice Chancellor of the University of Ruhuna. She visited centers run by local NGOs providing support and training to vulnerable groups, particularly children and young people. She also attended the annual General Meeting of the Alliance Française in Matara and Galle.

During her three days tour in the Vanni, the Ambassador observed progresses in the economic development of the region and the improvement of infrastructures.

After her visit to the garment factory, opened by Hirdaramani group in Vavuniya last November, she said, “It is encouraging to see that a private Sri Lankan company, exporting to France, is creating jobs and employing women, in a region where many of them are breadwinners. I was impressed to see how the Tamil and Sinhalese employees quickly developed a team spirit, despite the language barrier,”

In Vavuniya, the Ambassador visited the Family Tracing Unit supported by UNICEF, which aims at reunifying missing children with their parents. She listened to the deeply moving stories of people searching for their loved ones and met with a reunified family. In Kilinochchi, she was briefed by representatives of UNHCR and other UN agencies on their humanitarian activities. She then undertook several field visits of projects funded by the European Union and conducted by local and international NGOs, notably French ones.

In Pudukkudiyiruppu DS Division, she spoke with former IDPs who came back to their land and others who have been relocated to the Kombavil “new” village. The latter expressed their wish to be resettled to their original villages as soon as possible.

“The brand-new decision to launch the demining process in the coastal GN in Maritimepattu is very good news for these people,” Ambassador Robichon said.

Vulnerable Tamil families of returnees, who are provided with shelters, livelihood opportunities or training, talked to her about the challenges they face in their daily lives.