Minister Hakeem leaves for Turkey as PM’s emissary

Rauff Hakeem, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Leader and Minister of City Planning and Water Supply, will undertake a week-long official visit to Turkey as part of the Prime Minister’s initiative to expand the market for Sri Lankan tea. 

Hakeem is on a mission to explore the possibility of increasing the volume of tea exports to Turkey. He is also scheduled to meet the President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan among other Government officials. Hakeem will also seek Turkey’s assistance in a host of other areas of interest, including northern resettlement, city planning and water supply-related activities during this visit.

His delegation to Turkey will comprise representatives of Sri Lanka Tea Board, Representative from TRI and representatives from Tea Exporters Association.

Prior to leaving for Turkey, Hakeem was on a brief visit to London to take part in a parley on constitutional reform process in Sri Lanka.