• Potential to become hub of Indian Ocean Rim economic zone

President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a joint statement yesterday noted the consistent economic growth of Sri Lanka and shared the view that Sri Lanka has the potential to become a hub of the Indian Ocean Rim economic zone.

Prime Minister Abe expressed the Japanese Government's continued support and commitment to the formulation of the post-2015 development agenda, as well as Sri Lanka's goal of becoming an upper middle income country, free of poverty by 2020 in consideration of human security.

The two leaders welcomed the presence of CEOs of renowned Japanese companies in the delegation led by Prime Minister Abe.

The two leaders welcomed the holding of the Business Forum in fostering mutually beneficial business alliances between the private sectors of the two countries, and reaffirmed their willingness to promote and facilitate Japan's investment to Sri Lanka.

The two leaders appreciated the success of the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO) business mission in October 2013, and its business survey of Sri Lanka Business and welcomed the IT industry related business development initiatives by JETRO.

President Rajapaksa greatly appreciated Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA), which has been playing a significant role in the socio-economic development of Sri Lanka over the past 60 years since Japan became a member of the Colombo Plan in 1954.

Prime Minister Abe expressed his gratitude to the Sri Lankan Government for the facilitation of the port calls by the vessels of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF). The two leaders expressed satisfaction with the steady progress in the promotion of cooperation and exchanges between the two defence establishments, as confirmed at the last summit meeting in March 2013. The two leaders decided to further promote cooperation and exchanges in the field of maritime security.

Acknowledging that peace and stability are the desire of all people, the two leaders reaffirmed the importance of national reconciliation for the ever-lasting peace in Sri Lanka, a multi-ethnic and multi-religious country.

Prime Minister Abe, while recognizing the progress made so far, reiterated the importance of dialogue among all stakeholders for national reconciliation and further efforts to promote the implementation of the National Plan of Action on the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). He reiterated the importance of dialogue among all stakeholders for national reconciliation and further efforts to promote the implementation of the National Plan of Action on the recommendations of the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission (LLRC). He also highly appreciated the specific actions such as holding the election of the Northern Provincial Council in September 2013, submitting to Parliament the Bill on Assistance to and Protection of Victims and Witnesses, finalizing the report of the Joint Needs Assessment on resettled IDPs, and expanding the mandate of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on Missing Persons including the establishment of an Advisory Council comprising internationally recognized persons of eminence as domestic initiatives.