The parliamentary group of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has decided to vote against the Domestic Debt Optimization (DDO) program in the parliament on Saturday.
The main opposition’s decision was communicated by the party’s general secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara this evening.
A special parliamentary session will be convened this Saturday (July 01) during which the DDO plan tabled in parliament and go into debate and a vote is expected after the debate to approve the plan.
China has invested a lot in Sri Lanka in recent years and Sri Lanka looks forward to expanding the mutually beneficial partnership, Ali Sabry, Sri Lanka’s minister of foreign affairs, told the media during his visit to China.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Beijing on Wednesday afternoon, Sabry reviewed the country’s relationship with China and how it has helped Sri Lanka to develop its economy and trade.
The foreign minister also refuted the hype in some Western media reports, which have claimed that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has pushed Sri Lanka into a “debt trap.”
“I think some media outlets use it to advance their agendas… Chinese investment was and has been very, very important to us. Sri Lanka had been depressed for 26 years. No investment was forthcoming. Everybody was adopting a vacant approach, but the Chinese investment came and propelled the growth in Sri Lanka. Therefore, we are very grateful for that,” Sabry told the Global Times at the press briefing.
“In Sri Lanka, across the party line, everybody has an excellent relationship with China,” the minister said.
Looking at the last decade or two, most of the investments in Sri Lanka have come from China, ranging from industrial facilities and technological support to agriculture and education, he said, noting that Chinese investment is very important not only for the growth of Sri Lanka but also for many other developing countries.
Regarding the country’s economic problems, the foreign minister said there were multiple factors including bad policies, the pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
“We are not going to blame somebody else for that and we need to take ownership of that. We had serious policy deficiencies. We are now addressing those issues, overcoming them, and getting back to a sustainable way forward,” Sabry said.
The foreign minister said that the country is stabilizing the economy and is now recovering. “The most important phase now is the growth phase,” for which Chinese investment is very important, he said.
China has a big role to play in helping Sri Lanka to address these issues, he added.
Sabry said that there is a lot Sri Lanka can do together with China, while learning from China’s growth. He also said what China has achieved in recent decades has been unbelievable, adding that taking 800 million people out of poverty is a great achievement.
“For me and my country, China has been a friend. China has been a partner in progress, and it will continue to be a partner in progress in the future,” Sabry said.
Source: Global Times
Sri Lanka’s growing strategic importance in the Indian Ocean Ring and Indo-Pacific region is becoming increasingly apparent with the arrival of a significant number of warships to the country between 2020 and the present. Continuing this trend, the Indian submarine, INS Vagir (S41), named after the sandfish, made a significant visit to the Colombo Port in Sri Lanka on 19 June 2023. This visit highlights the presence of six warships, including the submarine, from India during the first half of 2023, aligning with the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s concept of the Indian Ocean Ring.
Over the past few years, Sri Lanka has seen a higher influx of warships and submarines, compared to other countries in the region, owing to its strategic importance for powerful nations. The increase in the presence of warships and maritime security can be attributed to Sri Lanka’s partnership with China for strategic development following the end of the war. This development has raised concerns not only for India but for Japan, France and the US, as China’s influence in the Indian Ocean Ring poses a potential maritime security threat. These countries are in an attempt to curtail China’s dominance in the both Indian Ocean as well and in the Indo-Pacific region.
China also has its port operation at the CICT in the Colombo Port which is taken on 35-year lease and is currently involved in developing the East Container Terminal as well.
Despite India’s apprehension about China’s presence in the Indian Ocean Ring, Sri Lanka’s decision to engage with China, for its development needs, has made it difficult for India to counteract. In response, to China’s String of pearls, India has implemented various maritime security measures to safeguard its interests and those of the Indo-Pacific region. Initiatives such as Modi’s Sagarmala, Neighbourhood First Policy and active participation in the US-led Quad alliance demonstrate India’s commitment to protecting its interests.
India has also taken steps to establish a security framework for the Indian Ocean region by conducting over twenty annual Malabar naval exercises involving the United States and Japan. These measures reflect India’s recognition of the need to counterbalance China’s influence in the region and safeguard its own security interests. Given that South Asia and the Indian Ocean serve as India’s first line of defence against potential invasions, maintaining influence and strong relationships with neighbouring countries positions India as a regional power.
The submarine INS Vagir arrived and remained stationed in the waters from 19 to 22 June 2023, while already a Pakistan Navy Ship Tippu Sultan was here on a goodwill mission and she arrived on 19 June and departed from Port of Colombo on the 20 June 2023.
While the Pakistani war ship was in Sri Lanka a French Naval Signal Intelligence (SIGINT) Ship, Dupuy de Lôme arrived at the Port of Colombo on a formal visit on 21 June and it would leave around 26 June 2023. Pakistan said it was manifestation of common desire to cooperate as historically both nations have demonstrated to standby each other in times of need.
The French Signals Intelligence/Satellite Tracking vessel, that could be described as a spy ship, is a102.40m-long Electromagnetic Research Vessel with a crew of 107. The ship is designed for the collection of signals and communications beyond enemy lines. It entered the service of the French Navy in April 2006. It is commanded by Commander Augustin Blanchet. They are currently here in Sri Lanka.
This could be the second surveillance vessel after China’s Yuan Wang-class of tracking ships are used for tracking and support of satellite and intercontinental ballistic missiles by the People’s Liberation Army Strategic Support Force of the People’s Republic of China that arrived amidst India’s rejection.
The Chinese spy ship arrived in August 2022, despite India’s objections. Following the arrival of the Chinese vessel, India deployed several warships, including a submarine, on a friendly bilateral visit to Sri Lanka. It is a common occurrence for India to send eight to ten warships to Sri Lanka each year, given their close proximity.
Furthermore, on 22 June, a Japanese warship named Ikazuchi (DD-107) from the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force made a formal visit to the Port of Colombo. This destroyer, measuring 150.5 metres in length, was manned by a crew of 207. This visit by the Ikazuchi follows a previous goodwill visit by one of the largest vessels of the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, the Kaga (DDH-184), along with the Ikazuchi in September 2020. The Indian submarine’s arrival was due to India’s International Day of Yoga (IDY) combined by the Ocean Ring of Yoga. Yoga was held in close proximity to the submarine in the Colombo Port. Visitors gathered to see the submarine to experience the connection between the Indian Ocean Ring and yoga.
The IDY was initiated by Prime Minister Modi and designated by the UN General Assembly in December 2014 and it promotes the Indian Ocean Ring and India has declared Sri Lanka as being of strategic importance as she sits in the central location within this Ring. India deployed 19 Indian Navy ships the world over to commemorate Yoga Day, including showcasing the IOR and maintaining its close ties with its immediate neighbouring countries and prioritising regional cooperation in the Indian Ocean.
Pakistan’s war ship Tippu Sultan left the shores on 20 June and the ship was one of the four Type 054A/P Class Frigates built by Hudong Zhonghua Shipbuilding, China. It is a multi-mission frigate fitted with highly sophisticated and state-of
-the art weapons/ sensors including long range air surveillance radar, 3D radar, vertical launched SAMs, towed sonar/ decoys, long range super Sonic SSM, torpedoes and advanced EW systems. These systems provide the PN with enhanced offensive-defensive combat capabilities to deter all forms of maritime threats. The ship was commissioned by the Pakistan Navy on 10 May 2023 at Shanghai, China. Captain Jawad Hussain TI (M) T Bt PN assumed command as the first Commanding Officer of the ship.
On 3 November 2022, a detachment of ships from Russia’s Pacific Fleet, led by the flagship missile cruiser Varyag, entered the area of responsibility south of Sri Lanka. Additionally, in December 2020, a group of warships from the Russian Pacific Fleet, including a submarine, concluded their business call at Sri Lanka. This group consisted of the Pacific Fleet’s Order of Nakhimov Guards Missile Cruiser Flagship Varyag, the large anti-submarine warfare ship Admiral Panteleyev, and the medium sea tanker Pechenga. The visit took place at the Port of Trincomalee. It began on 30 November.
In March 2020, a warship from the Russian Baltic Fleet also visited Sri Lanka as part of an anti-piracy deployment to the Indian Ocean. The warship’s combat team conducted drills, including search operations for a notional enemy submarine using a Ka-27 helicopter. The anti-terror squads on the ships and vessels also practised various scenarios of combating piracy in the Indian Ocean.
This year, in support of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2023, Indian Navy vessels deployed in the Indian Ocean will be visiting several foreign ports, including Phuket (Thailand), Chattogram (Bangladesh), Jakarta (Indonesia), Safaga (Egypt), Mombasa (Kenya), Muscat (Oman), Toamasina (Madagascar), Colombo (Sri Lanka), and Dubai (UAE). Ships such as Kiltan, Shivalik, Chennai, Sunayna, Tarkash, Trishul, Vagir, Brahmaputra, and Sumitra will participate in promoting the theme of IDY 23, ‘“Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
According to former Secretary to the Foreign Ministry, Jayanath Colambage, numerous warships from different countries have visited Sri Lankan ports. Between 2009 and 2017 alone, a total of 398 warships made visits to Sri Lanka.
In the first six months of 2023, there have already been 10 warships that arrived, including six from India, and one each from China, France, Japan, and Pakistan among other countries totalling to 16.
Given Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the middle of the Indian Ocean Ring, it is expected that the country will continue to attract the attention of the same countries listed here in the article, resulting in an increase in the number of warships visiting to Sri Lankan ports. Sri Lanka’s position in the show of power struggle among powerful nations is likely to remain significant at all time.
(amiesulo@gmail.com)
By Sulochana Ramiah Mohan
Independent election monitors, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) yesterday called for the recently gazetted Private Member’s Bill presented by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MP Jayantha Ketagoda to be defeated.
According to PAFFREL, the failure to hold elections as scheduled while attempting to reactivate Local Government bodies whose tenure has elapsed by amending existing legislation as proposed is a significant blow to both the sovereignty of the people and the principles of democracy. “This is yet another milestone in the attempts to obstruct elections and embark on a dictatorial journey,” the organisation said.
“The private member’s proposal states that if the poll cannot be held due to a crisis at a time when the local government bodies have been dissolved and the poll called, the existing law should be amended so that the minister can recall the dissolved local government bodies for a certain period of time. According to this section, the discretionary period is not specified and accordingly, the members of the dissolved local government bodies can be recalled even for a lengthy period at the discretion of the minister.” PAFFREL noted.
PAFFREL also noted that the bill has failed to elaborate on the term ‘crisis’ allowing the Government or the relevant Minister to misuse it. The organisation said they refuse to accept this as a mere Private Member Bill given the Government’s reluctance to hold polls.
PAFFREL said with this amendment in place, it raises uncertainty about whether any government will prioritise recalling elected representatives instead of conducting elections whenever they perceive it to be unfavourable
“If any representative of the people supports this proposal to become a law, it will be a great blow to the people’s sovereignty,” PAFFREL said while urging all MPs and the people to come together to defeat the effort. PAFFREL also said it will take all legal steps possible to prevent the bill from being enacted as law.
The government is making a shameful attempt to bring in a Constitutional Amendment to extend the term of local authorities for an indefinite period and to reinstate the already dissolved local authorities, the National People’s Power (NPP) said.
NPP General Secretary Tilvin Silva told a news conference that a gazette notification was issued on June 23 as a private member’s bill to bring in the amendment.
“According to the Local Government Elections Ordinance, the subject minister is empowered to extend the term of a local authority for a period of one year on special circumstances. However, this particular amendment has been proposed to authorize the minister to extend the term for an indefinite period. It also proposes to reinstate a dissolved local authority,” he said.
He said this move was against the Constitution and added that previous court rulings clearly show that people’s mandate can be shortened if required but cannot be extended for any reason.
He said President Ranil Wickremesinghe has postponed the LG polls as its outcome would affect his next Presidential dream and on the other hand he is trying to reinstate local authorities so as to get the support of the SLPP.
Silva said the NPP would take every step to defeat such a move.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday met with the Governor of the Eastern province of Sri Lanka Senthil Thondaman and discussed development partnership and explored possibilities for further cooperation.
Taking to his official Twitter handle, Jaishankar noted that Sri Lanka is at the centre of India’s Neighbourhood First policy and Sagar outlook.
He tweeted, “Good to meet the Governor of Eastern Province of Sri Lanka Senthil Thondaman. Discussed our development partnership and explored possibilities for further cooperation. Sri Lanka is at the center of our Neighborhood First policy and Sagar outlook.”
India shares its geographical boundary with Afghanistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka. India’s policy towards its immediate neighbourhood is based on efforts to build peace and cooperation in South Asia. Its Neighbourhood First policy, accords primacy to nations in periphery with focus on encouraging trade, connectivity and people-to-people contact.
Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) is India’s policy or doctrine of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. The policy was first announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 12, 2015.
Earlier in May, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in New Delhi Milinda Moragoda met Principal Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Pramod Kumar Mishra at the Prime Minister’s Office in Delhi.
Sri Lankan envoy Milinda Moragoda thanked Pramod Kumar Mishra for the support India has extended to Sri Lanka in the context of the present economic crisis and updated him on the current developments in that regard, including the debt restructuring process.
Moragoda stressed the vital role economic integration between the two countries could play in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister also recalled India’s close civilizational links with its southern neighbour. Moragoda also followed up with the Principal Secretary on a range of issues pertaining to the bilateral relationship that had been discussed during their last meeting in February.
The matters discussed during the meeting included further economic integration between Sri Lanka and India, enhancing Indian investments and tourism in Sri Lanka, ways and means to promote further bilateral trade, cooperation in the power and energy sector, and aspects relating to Rupee trade.
Joint Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office Ambassador Deepak Mittal and Sri Lanka’s Deputy High Commissioner in New Delhi Niluka Kadurugamuwa also attended this meeting.
According to the High Commission of India in Colombo’s statement, India and Sri Lanka enjoy a vibrant and growing economic and commercial partnership, which has witnessed considerable expansion over the years.
Economic ties between the two nations include a flourishing development partnership that encompasses areas like infrastructure, connectivity, transportation, housing, health, livelihood and rehabilitation, education, and industrial development. (ANI)
A private member’s motion that seeks powers to the subject minister to reconvene the dissolved local government bodies has been gazetted.
Submitted by MP Jayantha Ketagoda, it proposes amendments to certain clauses in the acts relating to municipal and urban councils and Pradeshiya Sabhas.
It was gazetted on June 26.
Meanwhile, the justice minister has gazetted a draft act with regard to laws against the contempt of the judicia
President Ranil Wickremesinghe has appointed new members to the Election Commission and Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
Accordingly, Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya, a retired Supreme Court Judge, was appointed as the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka.
R.M.A.L. Rathnayake, a former Additional Commissioner General of Elections, has been appointed as the Chairman of the Election Commission.
M.A. Pathmasiri Chandrawansha Perera and Ameer Mohommed Faiz have been appointed as the members of the Election Commission.
The newly appointed members of the Human Rights Commission, as directed by the President, include Nimalasena Gardier Pundihewa, Thaiyamuttu Thanaraj, Prof. Fathima Farzana Hanifa, and Dr. Gehan Dinuk Gunatillake.
Sri Lanka is asking foreign investors in its international sovereign bonds to take a 30 per cent haircut and is seeking similar concessions from holders of its other dollar-denominated bonds as it seeks to restructure its massive debt, its central bank governor said on Thursday.
The government will also exchange treasury bills into long-term bonds as part of a domestic debt restructuring programme, Nandalal Weerasinghe told a press conference as he unveiled details of the long-awaited plan, which will cover part of the island nation’s US$42 billion domestic debt.
Sri Lanka is struggling with its worst financial crisis since its independence from Britain in 1948 after the country’s foreign exchange reserves hit record lows and triggered its first foreign debt default last year.
Pledging to put its mammoth debt burden on a sustainable track, Sri Lanka locked down a US$2.9 billion bailout from the IMF in March. The domestic restructuring is needed to help the country reach the IMF programme goal of reducing overall debt to 95 per cent of GDP by 2032.
Meanwhile, the government is also pushing forward with reworking its foreign debt with bondholders and bilateral creditors including China, Japan and India.
Under the domestic debt revamp, holders of locally issued dollar-denominated bonds such as Sri Lanka Development Bonds (SLDBs) will be given three options, Weerasinghe said.
The first would be treatment similar to investors in the country’s international sovereign bonds – a 30 per cent principal haircut with a 6-year maturity at a four per cent interest rate, he said.
“We are asking foreign debt holders for a 30 per cent haircut but that is still under discussion,” Weerasinghe said.
Sri Lanka currently has US$12.5 billion in international sovereign bonds.
Weerasinghe would not comment on current talks with bilateral creditors. Sri Lanka has set a goal of finalising debt restructuring talks by September to align with the first review of its IMF programme.
China wants multilateral lenders like the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank to absorb some of the losses, which those institutions and many developed nations, notably the United States, are resisting.
More international support
The domestic restructuring programme will be presented to parliament on Saturday for approval.
Earlier on Thursday, the World Bank approved US$700 million in budgetary and welfare support for the country, the biggest funding tranche for the island nation since the IMF deal in March. About US$500 million of the funds will be allocated for budgetary support while the remaining US$200 million will be for welfare support earmarked for those worst hit by the crisis.
Sri Lanka’s cabinet approved the domestic debt programme at a special cabinet meeting on Wednesday, a source at the president’s office told Reuters.
Domestic bondholders will be given two other options:
– Similar treatment to that being proposed to bilateral dollar creditors: No principal haircut, with a 15-year maturity and nine-year grace period at 1.5 per cent interest rate.
– Exchange their holdings for local currency denominated instruments: No principal haircut with a 10-year maturity at the SLFR (Sri Lanka Standing Lending Facility Rate) + one per cent interest rate.
Local currency bonds held by superannuation funds, including pension funds, will be replaced with new bonds which will have nine per cent interest, Weerasinghe added.
But banks’ local currency bonds have been excluded from the scheme to avoid putting further strain on the financial sector
Sri Lanka’s sovereign U.S. dollar bonds were edging higher in early morning trade, with the bonds maturing in November 2025 and March 2024 gaining the most, 0.77 cents, by 0627 GMT, according to Tradeweb data. – Reuters
British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton, OBE is departing after an eventful and successful nearly four year stint in Sri Lanka. The Daily FT caught up with her before her departure to get a quick recap from her on the tenure in Sri Lanka which was momentous with several key developments in terms of bilateral cooperation between the UK and Sri Lanka and UK’s support to Sri Lanka. Incidentally, after assuming duties in August 2019 Hulton’s first print interview was also with the Daily FT in October same year (https://www.ft.lk/Opinion-and-Issues/On-a-quest-to-take-UK-SL-ties-from-good-to-great/14-688682). Here are excerpts from the interview with Hulton days prior to her departure.
Q: You’ve been in Sri Lanka through extraordinary times. What are your reflections?
Sri Lanka has gone through some challenging times in the last few years. I know the effects of the economic crisis are still being widely felt and I am glad that we have been able to support Sri Lanka in a range of ways. This has included providing £ 3 million humanitarian assistance through cash transfers to support the most vulnerable communities. I have been able to visit some of these groups and hear how the funds have helped their food security and medical needs.
We are also providing economic support for Sri Lanka through multilateral institutions like the International Monetary Fund, World Bank and United Nations. We have welcomed the Government of Sri Lanka’s commitment to implementing the economic reform program supported by the IMF Extended Fund Facility and encourage Sri Lanka to continue engaging with the IMF and EFF program to build investor confidence, drive growth and bolster Sri Lanka’s development.
Q: Can you highlight some of the other key areas of UK-SL cooperation?
UK Sri Lankan cooperation continues to grow and there have been some recent developments in the area of business and trade. The UK is Sri Lanka’s second largest export market. In 2022, the total trade in goods and services between UK-Sri Lanka was £ 1.3 billion – an increase of 11.6% from the previous year. The UK’s new trading preferences scheme is now in force – and there are significant benefits for Sri Lanka.
The Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS) allows Sri Lanka to trade with the UK tariff-free on 92% of goods, increasing the competitiveness of Sri Lankan products in the UK market. As the demand for sustainable, fair-trade, and healthier products continues to grow in the UK, Sri Lankan business is well placed to develop in this market.
Environmental cooperation has also been a strong pillar of our partnership. The UK was proud to host the 26th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP26) on Climate Change solutions in Glasgow in 2021. Sri Lanka has made some strong commitments which we want to support through a range of collaborative environmental projects which underpin the goals of the Glasgow Climate Pact. These projects have included work to protect biodiversity, implement nature based solutions, support climate adaptation and resilience efforts and protect wildlife in Sri Lanka. We will continue this work through the UK’s Climate Action for a Resilient Asia Program which will include funding projects that mobilise climate finance, strengthen water security, conserve ecosystems and biodiversity, and help vulnerable communities lead local adaptation efforts.
The Blue Planet Fund reinforces the UK’s global leadership on marine issues, including the call to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030 and existing commitments to tackle plastic pollution. The UK Ocean Country Partnership Program for Sri Lanka under the Blue Planet Fund, will deliver marine science technical assistance across the three core themes of marine pollution, biodiversity loss and supporting sustainable seafood.
We also partnered with UNICEF to provide lifesaving medical equipment for high-risk pregnant mothers and infants during the pandemic. And scientists from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura and Oxford University collaborated together on a UK-funded project, to support vital immunology research. The UK is also known for our role at the UN Human Rights Council. We want to support Sri Lanka in addressing the issues raised in the current resolution. We are doing this by working with civil society and grassroots organisations through a number of projects, such as landmine clearance, sustainable resettlement of internally displaced people, including livelihoods support, with a particular focus on women headed households.
We have also worked with local partners to support effective responses to online gendered hate speech and cyber-sexual gender-based violence in Sri Lanka. We hope that Sri Lanka will address the legacy of the war and work towards building a fully inclusive society where people from all backgrounds can thrive.
Education remains one of our strongest connections. The UK is recognised across the world for its high-quality education. Four out of the world’s top ten universities are in the UK, and there are more than 45 UK higher education institutions and professional bodies represented in Sri Lanka. These offer a variety of courses in partnership with over 50 local institutes and I’ve loved having the opportunity to hear about their work whilst I’ve been here. Students have a wide range of choices to study either in the UK or in Sri Lanka to obtain a world class qualification.
We’re also keen to make people aware of the scholarship opportunities available to Sri Lankan students and to encourage applications from across Sri Lanka. Chevening is the UK Government’s prestigious fully-funded scholarship program – I love catching up with Chevening alumni here, who are excelling in a wide range of fields. Every year the scholarship sends selected Sri Lankan students to the UK to complete a one year master’s program in any subject they choose at any university, fully paid. We look for candidates who have leadership potential and an excellent record of achievement as well as a strong desire to make a difference in their country.
It’s a pleasure to work alongside the British Council here who are well known for their educational opportunities. They build connections between people in the UK and Sri Lanka through arts, culture, education and the English language. They deliver close to 100,000 UK exams on an annual basis, creating new pathways and opportunities for students, and young professionals.
I was so pleased to be able to join them last week to attend a filmed performance of Sleeping Beauty from the Royal Opera House. It was also an honour to welcome the Graetian Awards to Westminster House in the last few weeks of my time here – my congratulations to the two winners! I have really enjoyed getting to know Sri Lankan literature better and honoured to have had the opportunity to meet some of the authors of these incredible works.
Q: As you look back on your time here, what have been some of the most memorable occasions?
We have had some special moments of celebration, with the Queen’s Baton visiting Sri Lanka ahead of the Commonwealth Games hosted in Birmingham. Her Late Majesty The Queen celebrated her Platinum Jubilee year and the occasion was marked by a series of special events in London, as well as the lighting of Platinum Jubilee beacons in the UK and overseas, including in Sri Lanka. When she passed away last year we were all touched by the heartfelt messages of condolence from so many people here, often sharing their memories of her visits.
We were also able to celebrate a historic event – the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Queen Camilla. It was a wonderful opportunity to bring many of the colleagues and partners we work with in Sri Lanka together and witness the special moment together.
This is an important year for the UK and Sri Lanka as we mark 75 years of bilateral relations. We are celebrating this through ‘75 Stories’ highlighting remarkable stories of Sri Lankans in the UK, and British nationals here in Sri Lanka – underlining the strong people to people links between our two countries.
Over the last four years, I have been able to travel to different parts of the country, including with visitors like Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office Minister Lord Ahmad. I have found experiencing Sri Lanka’s rich religious and cultural heritage very rewarding and it has meant I have been able to meet people of diverse faiths and backgrounds and better understand a range of perspectives. We have also had a visit from the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy for Sri Lanka Lord Davies of Abersoch. It was great to be able to build on online meetings and bilateral engagements he had joined us for and welcome him here. With Lord Davies, we have been engaging with the business community, particularly through the Council for Business with Britain, and Government stakeholders to explore how we can further deepen our bilateral trade ties.
As I get ready to depart back to the UK, I want to thank everyone who has supported and worked with us in the last few years. It has been an honour to lead the British High Commission here and I hope to keep in touch and visit again one day.
