Foreign Minister Ali Sabry concluded a successful two-day official visit to Nepal on 21 and 22 December 2023 during which he co-chaired the inaugural session of the Sri Lanka-Nepal Joint Commission with Foreign Minister of Nepal Narayan Prakash Saud.
The Joint Commission discussed a range of matters covering several areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, tourism, education, defence, immigration, culture, people to people contacts and connectivity. The Joint Commission reviewed the progress of the existing cooperation in these areas and discussed the ways and means to further enhance and diversify that collaboration.
The Joint Commission also focused on the current developments in the regional and multilateral fora in which Sri Lanka and Nepal are members and resolved to work together to collectively promote shared interests and address the common challenges.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Cooperation in the fields of Science, Technology and Innovation between Sri Lanka and Nepal was also signed with a view to enhancing cooperation in the education sector.
Foreign Minister Sabry called on the Nepali Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and also paid a courtesy call on President Ram Chandra Paudel. Minister Sabry had bilateral talks with his Nepali counterpart Narayan Prakash Saud. During these meetings, the Foreign Minister apprised the Nepali leadership of the current developments in Sri Lanka and discussed ways and means to further strengthen bilateral ties. Minister Sabry also met with several prominent Nepali business leaders and invited them to explore the possibilities of investing in Sri Lanka.
While in Kathmandu, Foreign Minister Sabry also met with the Sri Lankan community in Nepal at an event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka. Addressing the Sri Lankan community, the Minister thanked them for being part of the resilient Sri Lankans who contributed for the country to bounce back from the economic crisis and requested them to support the nation’s development process.
Minister Sabry was accompanied by the Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Nepal Air Chief Marshal (Retd) Sudarshana Pathirana, Director General of the South Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Niluka Kadurugamuwa and other officials of the Ministry and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Kathmandu. The Nepali delegation included the Ambassador of Nepal in Sri Lanka Bashu Dev Mishra, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other relevant line Ministries in Nepal.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
22 December 2023
