Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

During a farewell call on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on 12 January 2021, the Ambassador of Viet Nam in Colombo, Pham ThiBich Ngoc endorsed that Sri Lanka and Viet Nam have immense potential for cooperation in the agriculture and fisheries sectors.

The Ambassador stated that Vietnam can share their best practices, knowledge and technology transfer, in particular.  Minister Gunawardena emphasized areas such as the canning industry, especially fish canning, fish feed production which are areas that Viet Nam can offer assistance to Sri Lanka.

 Ambassador Pham ThiBich Ngoc further said that such collaboration in the fisheries sector will no doubt contribute in uplifting rural fishing, and fish farming in Batticaloa and Mullaithivu.  Discussing further on agricultural sector cooperation, the Ambassador underscored that there is much potential in coffee, pepper and rubber, where Viet Nam can provide know how for cultivation.  They both agreed that in order to advance trade relations between the two countries, it is important to pursue a Preferential Trade Agreement.

Minister Gunawardena emphasized the importance of strengthening ties in areas of tourism, democracy and education cooperation. Moreover, the Minister referred to close connections that Sri Lanka had with the great leader of Viet Nam Ho Chi Minh and Madame Nguyen Thi Binh, Foreign Minister of the Revolutionary Government of Vietnam who worked closely with Sri Lanka in the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).  The Minister highlighted the importance of partnership in amity in international platforms to overcome national security threats.  The Ambassador of Viet Nam expressed their fullest support for Sri Lanka’s bid for Sectoral Dialogue Partnership status in ASEAN.

Sri Lanka and Vietnam celebrated the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2020.  Vietnam and Sri Lanka have enjoyed deep rooted friendly relations for centuries.  This relationship is based on cultural and historical similarities and most importantly the common heritage of Buddhism as a strong binding thread between the people of the two countries.  The historical records indicate that Buddhism was introduced to South of Vietnam around the 17th century and it is believed that Sri Lankan priests contributed towards the establishment of Theravada Buddhism in Southern Vietnam.

In 2014, Sri Lanka issued a stamp to mark President Ho Chi Minh’s 124th birthday.  Sri Lanka also unveiled the bust of President Ho Chi Minh at the Colombo Public Library on 23 November 2013, signifying the importance of bilateral ties.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

13 January 2021

The outgoing High Commissioner of Seychelles in Colombo Conrad Vincent Mederic called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry on 08 January 2021.

The Foreign Minister complemented the High Commissioner Mederic for his outstanding and significant contributions towards enhancing Sri Lanka - Seychelles relations during his tenure including the Presidential visits in 2017 and 2018 as the first High Commissioner of Seychelles to Sri Lanka. While acknowledging the staunch support extended by Seychelles to Sri Lanka in the realm of multilateral and international fora, Foreign Minister Gunawardena reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhance close collaboration in areas of trade, agriculture medical tourism, blue economy, hospitality, financial sector and information technology.

While offering New Year greetings to the people of Sri Lanka from the President and the Foreign Minister of Seychelles, High Commissioner Mederic underlined the importance of fruitful cooperation between Sri Lanka and Seychelles which has a huge potential to reach new heights in the post Covid world. The High Commissioner also apprised the opportunities open for Sri Lankan professionals and skilled workers in Seychelles in numerous fields such as in education, health, financial and tourism sectors.

The High Commissioner also commended on the state of the art service rendered by hospitality and health industries of Sri Lanka by which several people of Seychelles benefit annually. Foreign Minister Gunawardena assured the envoy the early resumption of medical tourism for the Seychellois people. The Foreign Minister and the High Commissioner also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest including Covid-19 pandemic, maritime security, human trafficking, drug smuggling and transnational crimes.

Despite the closure of the High Commission of Seychelles in Colombo due to economic constraints posed by the Covid crisis, the High Commissioner handed over a letter to the Foreign Minister seeking permission to appoint a Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka.

As Indian Ocean nations, both parties agreed to consolidate the existing relations embracing new areas of cooperation in the years ahead.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

10 January 2021

The Foreign Ministry will continue facilitating repatriations without any financial burden on Sri Lankans, the Foreign Secretary asserted responding to misinformation in the public domain. Secretary Jayanath Colombage made it clear that the role of the Missions is strictly confined to organizing repatriation flights for returnees who are tested on arrival, offered all logistical support and are quarantined at Government facilities free of charge.

The returnees are drawn from the list of overseas Sri Lankans registered in the Missions and Posts and repatriated depending on their vulnerability levels and on a  “first come first serve basis“. Foreign Employment Bureau and their representatives are working with our missions on the safe return of the expatriate working community on the same basis in relation to availability of flights and clearance by Airport Authorities in the relevant countries. The number of passengers who are permitted to travel per day, however, is determined by the Task Force chiefly based on a periodical appraisal and inputs provided by the Army in charge of quarantine centres and the Ministry of Health which is entrusted with the task of implementing health guidelines.

In circumstances where the local quarantine and medical care facilities are fully stretched, repatriation on payment basis becomes an option for those returnees who could afford such facilities.

Charter flights for overseas Sri Lankans are approved and organized through Sri Lanka Missions on the request of Sri Lankan community groups who prefer paid quarantine, testing and other logistical arrangements involved in the repatriation process.

Cargo flights and a few selected commercial flights are also approved by the Ministry for repatriation, a third type of facilitation offered to relatively small groups of passengers who could afford to pay for quarantine and other requirements involved and a maximum of 75 passengers per flight are permitted as per the latest directive of the Covid Task force.

The General Sales Agents (GSA) of respective Air Lines have been authorized to  deal with the passengers on charges of Air tickets, PCR tests and quarantining and the Diplomatic Missions have not been mandated to handle payments whatsoever concerning the travel requirements except for extremely special cases of requests for such facilitation.

As the pandemic situation remains fluid and unpredictable a regular re-appraisal is undertaken, based on which the process of repatriation is periodically reviewed.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

08 January 2021

Indian External Affairs Minister, Dr. S. Jaishankar will undertake an official visit to Sri Lanka from 5th to 7th January 2021 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. During his visit, Minister Dr. Jaishankar is scheduled to have bilateral meetings with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena.

While this official visit marks the first arrival of a high-level foreign dignitary in Sri Lanka in 2021, it also becomes the earliest official visit outside India for External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar in the New Year. Quite uniquely External Affairs Minister Dr. Jaishankar became the first official foreign visitor in Sri Lanka after the Presidential Election in November 2019, who conveyed the congratulations, as well as an invitation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to undertake his first state visit to India. Through such high-level exchanges, both sides are looking forward to strengthen the bilateral relationship in multiple areas of cooperation.

The visit is arranged through the air-bubble concept amidst Covid-19 travel restrictions in both countries.

Foreign Ministry
Colombo

4 January 2021