Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake undertook an official visit to Ethiopia from 13 to 17 September 2018.  Sri Lanka established formal diplomatic relations with Ethiopia in 1972, and the Sri Lankan resident Embassy in Addis Ababa was officially opened in February 2017, jointly by the Foreign Ministers of Sri Lanka and Ethiopia.

In honour of State Minister Senanayake, State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Hirut Zemene hosted a breakfast meeting attended by senior officials of the Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.  The discussion centered on further consolidating bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and  Ethiopia and diversifying the areas of cooperation.  Exchange of business delegations between the two countries was also discussed and State Minister Senanayake extended an invitation to his Ethiopian counterpart  to lead a trade delegation to Sri Lanka.

 State Minister Senanayake also  paid a courtesy call on Ethiopian President Mulatu Teshome.

During the visit, State Minister Senanayake also visited the Headquarters of the African Union Commission and had a meeting with Dr. Smail Chergui, Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Acting Chairperson of the African Union Commission. The discussion focused on promoting  relations between the African and Asian continents.  Sri Lanka obtained accreditation status of the African Union in April 2014 as a Non-African State and Sri Lanka’s first resident Ambassador in Addis Ababa presented his credentials to the African Union Commission in December 2016 as Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka.

Further, the State Minister had meetings with senior officials of the Ethiopian Investment Commission and the Ethiopian Chamber of Commerce, and exchanged information on trade and investment opportunities available in Sri Lanka and Ethiopia for promoting bilateral economic relations. State Minister Senanayake also visited the UNESCO Office in Addis Ababa.

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union Commission Sumith Dassanayake accompanied the State Minister to the meetings.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Addis Ababa

18 September 2018

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Minister of Youth Affairs, Project Management & Southern Development and Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister Sagala Ratnayaka undertook an official visit to Washington D.C. from September 12-13.

During the visit Minister Ratnayaka met with Chairman Mac Thornberry of the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee and Chairman Ted Yoho of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific. The Minister also met with senior interlocutors of the National Security Council, the Department of State, the Department of Defence, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

Minister Sagala Ratnayaka briefed them on current developments in Sri Lanka. They discussed the ongoing Sri Lanka–U.S. partnership and opportunities for further expanding bilateral cooperation within the framework of President Donald Trump’s Indo-Pacific Strategy. In this context, he welcomed the recent announcement by the U.S. of approximately $39 million in Foreign Military Financing for Sri Lanka, pending congressional approval.

Minister Ratnayaka also expressed Sri Lanka’s deep appreciation to the U.S. for the transfer of the high-endurance ex-U.S. Coast Guard cutter to the Sri Lanka Navy in August. The cutter will be the largest ship in the Sri Lankan naval fleet and will strengthen bilateral defence cooperation and enhance the capacity and the operational capability of the Sri Lankan Navy to more effectively secure the country’s maritime interests.

Chargé d’affaires a.i. of the Embassy of Sri Lanka Priyanga Wickramasinghe and senior officials of the Embassy were associated with Minister Ratnayaka in the bilateral discussions.

Later, Minister Ratnayaka visited California where he attended the 2018 International Democrat Union (IDU) Meeting from September 16-18 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who is the Chairman of the Asia Pacific Democrat Union is an IDU Vice Chairman (ex-officio) since 2005.

Embassy of Sri Lanka

Washington D.C.

September 18, 2018

The Member States of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) met in Colombo on 4-5 September, 2018 and finalized the Terms of Reference (ToR) at an initial workshop held for the setting up of the Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security. At the 17^th Council of Ministers held in Durban, South Africa in 2017, it was decided that Sri Lanka will coordinate the implementation of the IORA Action Plan 2017-2021 on Maritime Safety and Security that includes, amongst others, the establishment of the Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security.

The finalization of the ToR at the workshop marks an important milestone in the work of the IORA Maritime Safety and Security priority area. The Working Group provides a mechanism for engaging maritime officials and experts across Member States to promote regional cooperation by facilitating practical coordination amongst stakeholders.

The ToR outlines the objectives of the Working Group on taking forward the policy priorities set in the Maritime Safety and Security Area which include among others establishing a common understanding between IORA Members States of the collective Maritime Safety and Security risks, threats and opportunities in the Indian Ocean region; establishing an integrated policy approach on Maritime Safety and Security including through capability enhancement and capacity building; building a partnership within the framework of IORA for the strengthening of capacity and capability as well as institution building in the domain of Maritime Safety and Security; and enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) among IORA Member States.

The initial workshop was co-hosted by Sri Lanka and Australia, and was co-chaired by Sri Lanka,  Australia, India, Indonesia, Madagascar and South Africa.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

07 September 2018

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State Minister of Development Strategies and International Trade Sujeewa Senasinghe,  led a delegation of private sector companies to Kenya together with the Export Development Board (EDB) on 05 September 2018.

The State Minister addressed the Sri Lanka –Kenya Business Forum organized by the Sri Lanka High Commission in Nairobi where the private sector companies had the opportunity to meet prospective buyers, wholesalers and Kenyan entrepreneurs to further their businesses. The Kenya Chamber of Commerce and Industries(KNCCI) partnered    with the  High Commission  to brief  the  Sri Lanka  delegation on the  business environment  in Kenya and the opportunities available for Sri Lankan companies in the areas of  Fast Moving  Consumer  Goods (FMCGs) and on the Light Engineering Sector.

The State Minister emphasised on the strategic location of both countries and explained as to how  the two  countries  could mutually benefit  in doing  business.  He stated that  Kenya is the  gateway to East Africa  while  Sri Lanka  with its  growing  number of  free trade agreements  is the  gateway to Asia for Affrica.  Commenting that both  countries  are not  rivals   in business  but  countries   who  could grow together  complementing  and  learning from each other, the State Minister  said that this  is  only the  first  step  to many more visits  that  will strengthen  the relations  and  understanding  of the potential of growth of both countries. He thanked the  Chief  Executive Officer of the KNICC, Mr George  Kiondo  and his team for their efforts and  welcomed a buyer delegation  from Kenya  to Sri Lanka.

The State Minister also met Mr.Tobias Alando, Acting Chief Executive Officer of Kenya Manufactures Association(KMA). The Sri Lankan delegates   had fruitful B2B discussions  with Kenyan  businesses,  jointly  organised by  KMA and Mr Ruwan Fernando  of Mayleen  Group of Companies in Kenya.

State Minister Senasinghe also met with the Hon. Ababu Namwamba, EGH, Chief Administrative Secretary of Foreign Affairs to discuss  trade related outstanding issues.  Secretary Namwamba  assured that  Kenya  will be  hosting the 2^nd Joint Trade Committee at the earliest. Appreciating  the assistance given by Kenya  in training long distance runners of Sri Lanka, the State Minister informed that Sri Lanka will assist Kenya in its efforts to improve  cricket.

The meetings were attended by High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Kenya Sunil de Silva, Chairperson of the Export Development Board Indira Malwatte, Deputy High Commissioner Anzul Jhan and Director Market Development of EDB Anoma Premathilake . The private sector delegation comprised of representatives from Hettigoda Industries Ltd, Ceylon Biscuits Ltd, Orient Lanka Confectionary Ltd, Synex Holdings  and Synex International Pvt Ltd,  St Theresa Industries (Kenya) Ltd. and Ceylon Agro-Industries Limited.

High Commission of Sri Lanka

Nairobi

06 September 2018