Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya participated in the 6th Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Summit held in Bangkok from 03 to 04 April 2025. The Summit, hosted under the theme of regional resilience and prosperity, brought together leaders of the seven BIMSTEC member states to strengthen cooperation and chart a visionary agenda for the region.
Representing Sri Lanka at the Ministerial Segment of the Summit was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Arun Hemachandra.
Addressing the BIMSTEC Leaders, Prime Minister Amarasuriya emphasized the importance of building stronger and more meaningful ties within the region: “We must exert efforts to forge stronger and more meaningful ties; and explore imaginative, creative, and innovative ways of enhancing cooperation in the best interest of the people of our region”. Further, while acknowledging the shared challenges faced by member states, she noted that there also exist numerous unexplored opportunities in trade, economic cooperation, and connectivity that, if seized, could bring mutual benefit to all BIMSTEC countries.
The Prime Minister also reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s firm commitment to regional cooperation, pledging the country’s continued support to translate BIMSTEC ideals into meaningful and practical cooperation on the ground. “Our primary responsibility is to cooperate and work together to achieve a better life for all our people, and this is a noble quest which must inspire and unite us every single day”, she stated.
As the only island nation in BIMSTEC, Prime Minister Amarasuriya welcomed the signing of the Maritime Transport Cooperation Agreement, underscoring its importance for enhancing regional maritime connectivity. She reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s strong commitment as the lead country for the BIMSTEC sector on Science, Technology and Innovation, including the sub-sectors of Public Health and Human Resource Development, and reiterated Sri Lanka's dedication to advancing collaboration in these critical areas.
On the sidelines of the Summit, Prime Minister Amarasuriya also held bilateral discussions with several regional leaders, including Prime Minister of Bhutan, Tshering Tobgay; Prime Minister of Nepal, K P Sharma Oli; Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Paetongtarn Shinawatra; Chairman of the State Administration Council and Prime Minister of Myanmar, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Chief Advisor of Bangladesh, Prof. Muhammad Yunus. Discussions focused on enhancing regional connectivity, trade, tourism, and cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
On the sidelines of the Ministerial Meeting, Deputy Minister Hemachandra held a series of bilateral meetings and courtesy calls with several counterparts and regional leaders including Minister of Foreign Affairs and External Trade of Bhutan, Lyonpo D.N. Dhungyel; Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, U Than Swe; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal, Dr. Rana Arzu Deuba as well as high-level officials from regional organizations including Secretary General of IORA, Sanjiv Ranjan and Secretary General of BIMSTEC, Indra Mani Pandey. Discussions focused on enhancing bilateral relations, regional integration, and promoting cooperation in tourism, labour mobility, and trade facilitation.
The summit adopted the BIMSTEC Bangkok Vision 2030, which envisions a “Prosperous, Resilient and Open BIMSTEC”, emphasizing sustainable development, poverty reduction, regional preparedness for crises, and inclusive multi-stakeholder collaboration.
In conjunction with the Summit, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Thailand, in collaboration with the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce organized the “Invest Sri Lanka” business forum on 03 April 2025 at the Grande Centre Point Surawong Hotel in Bangkok. The forum, held in the presence of Prime Minister Amarasuriya, brought together over 80 prominent Thai and international business leaders.
Delivering the keynote address at the forum, Prime Minister Amarasuriya outlined Sri Lanka’s emerging political and economic stability, and declared that the country is poised to become “the world’s next success story”. She extended an open invitation to international investors to partner in Sri Lanka’s transformative growth journey, reaffirming the government’s commitment to building a resilient and inclusive economy.
During her visit to Bangkok, Prime Minister Amarasuriya also paid homage to Wat Pho, one of Thailand’s most revered Buddhist temples. She was welcomed by Abbot Pra Dhammavajirapanyaacarya, in a ceremony that reflected the deep-rooted religious and cultural ties between Sri Lanka and Thailand.
The Prime Minister’s engagements in Bangkok underscored Sri Lanka’s enduring commitment to regional collaboration, economic revival, and cultural diplomacy, aligned with the country’s progressive global outreach.
Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Bangkok
11 April 2025
