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Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa
FOREIGN MINISTER SEEKS ASSISTANCE TO BOOST FDIS FROM HONORARY CONSULS BASED IN COLOMBO
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena sought the assistance of Honorary Consuls based in Colombo to encourage foreign investors to invest in Sri Lanka. The Minister made this request at a meeting held yesterday (11 January) with the Honorary Consuls based in Colombo, at the Foreign Ministry. The meeting was held in compliance with the Covid-19 health guidelines.
Minister Gunawardena further reiterated the importance of mutually assisting each other to revive the world economy, as a collective effort amidst the pandemic.
Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, speaking to the gathering, explained that the weather conditions of the previous year had a positive impact on the tea production of the country. Hence, Sri Lanka is in an advantageous position to market its quality tea worldwide.
State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya also explained the State Ministry’s role of positively promoting Regional Cooperation under three pillars, in line with the vision and guidance of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. The State Minister expressed hope on the assistance of all stakeholders concerned towards this endeavor.
The meeting also created a platform for a dialogue between the Honorary Consuls and the Foreign Ministry officials in current topics which included ways and means of bringing investors to Sri Lanka during the period of the pandemic, opening the airport for tourists, and the new Foreign Policy of Sri Lanka.
Representing the Ministry, the Foreign Minister, State Minister of Regional Cooperation, Foreign Secretary and Senior Officials participated at the meeting.
Foreign Ministry
Colombo
12 January 2021
Video Link: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=
President Ranil Wickremesinghe concludes successful visit to Japan
President Ranil Wickremesinghe concluded a three-day visit to Japan, where he addressed the 28th Nikkei Future of Asia Conference held in Tokyo. The prestigious Forum was organized by Nikkei Inc, with the participation of a number of high-level dignitaries, including President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore Lawrence Wong, Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Tran Luu Quang, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Don Pramudwinai and the former Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohammed.
During the visit, President Wickremesinghe held fruitful bilateral discussions with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Minister of Finance Suzuki Shunichi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Hayashi Yoshimasa and Minister for Digital Transformation Taro Kono during which further consolidation of bilateral political as well as economic cooperation between the two countries were discussed at length. The President appreciated the unwavering support the Government of Japan had extended to Sri Lanka in the recent debt restructuring process. President Wickremesinghe briefed the Japanese dignitaries on the steady progress made by Sri Lanka towards economic recovery and requested the continued support and goodwill of Japan in overcoming the current challenges of the country.
On the sidelines of the main program, the President engaged in bilateral discussions with the visiting Deputy Prime Ministers of Vietnam and Singapore as well as with three former Prime Ministers of Japan Yasuo Fukuda, Taro Aso and Yoshihide Suga.
The President also met the officials of the Japan-Sri Lanka Parliamentarian Friendship League, which is engaged in strengthening relations between the two countries, while promoting mutually beneficial economic ties.
A special Business Forum was organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Tokyo, in collaboration with the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) and Japan-Sri Lanka Business Cooperation Council (JSLBCC) during the visit, which enabled President Wickremesinghe to engage with the Business Community in Japan. Further discussions were held by the President with the Sri Lanka Business Council in Japan, to identify ways of enhancing trade and investment between Sri Lanka and Japan.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had several media interactions while in Tokyo, which included media interviews with Nikkei and the Japan Broadcasting Corporation, NHK.
The President also made this visit an opportunity to meet Madam Akie Abe, the spouse of late Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe, to express the profound gratitude of the people of Sri Lanka, for the friendship and cooperation extended by the former Prime Minister to Sri Lanka.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
29 May 2023
FOREIGN MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENA ASSURES THE EARLY RESUMPTION OF MEDICAL TOURISM FOR SEYCHELLOIS
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
FOREIGN MINISTER GUNAWARDENA SEEKS TO RE-OPEN EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES IN KOREA
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held discussions concerning the revival of foreign employment cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea with the Korean Ambassador in Sri Lanka Woonjin Jeong on 4 January 2021, at the Foreign Ministry.
While appreciating the Republic of Korea’s partnership in providing employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nationals in the Republic of Korea, the Foreign Minister further sought the assistance of the Korean Government to recommence receiving new employees from Sri Lanka which has been temporarily suspended due to the Covid-19 outbreak in Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea. Foreign Minister Gunawardena conveyed that despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, the Sri Lankan Government is ready to fulfil the health and other related requirements in collaboration with the Korean authorities with a view to recommencing the employment flow from Sri Lanka to Korea at the earliest.
Ambassador Jeong noted that the Sri Lankan employees have contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of the Republic of Korea and expressed his fullest cooperation to overcome challenges and deepen mutual cooperation between the two countries in the field of foreign employment.
State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification Piyankara Jayaratne, Chairman Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment Kamal Ratwatte and senior officials of the State Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Market Diversification and the Foreign Ministry were also present at the meeting.
Foreign Ministry
Colombo
08 January 2021
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