A two-member delegation led by Deputy Minister of Telecommunication, Digital Infrastructure and Foreign Employment Manusha Nanayakkara undertook an official visit to Israel from 10 to 15 October 2018.
During the visit, Deputy Minister Nanayakkara met with Professor Shlomo Mor-Yosef, Director General of the Population, Immigration and Border Authority (PIBA) along with the officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel in Jerusalem. At the meeting, the Deputy Minister briefed them on the present developments in Sri Lanka and appreciated the assistance extended by Israel to Sri Lanka. He further elaborated the current position of the G2G programmes on the Joint Pilot Program for the Recruitment and Placement of up to 50 caregivers from Sri Lanka to Treat Elderly Disabled Employers in Israel and the Arrangement for the Recruitment of Sri Lankan Agricultural Workers. Both parties also discussed ways and means of further increasing the number of workers coming to Israel from Sri Lanka and improving relations between the two countries.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the State of Israel Periyasamy Pillai Selvaraj, Counsellor (E &W) of the Embassy of Sri Lanka K.H.L.K. Wijeratne and Deputy General Manager, Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau Mangala Randeniya were associated with the Deputy Minister at the bilateral discussion.
During the visit, Deputy Minister Nanayakkara also visited an agricultural farm where Sri Lankan agricultural workers are currently working, and had a discussion with them.
Later, the Deputy Minister met with the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Israel at the Embassy premises and briefed them about the current position of the G2G programmes and the procedures to be followed by the migrant workers.
Deputy Minister Nanayakkara also visited a digital Company in Israel to explore the possibility of promoting business between the two countries.
