Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, is undertaking an official visit to Sweden, at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, Hon. Margot Wallström, from 17-18 January 2017. This is the first official visit by a Sri Lankan Foreign Minister to Sweden in 31 years.
Foreign Minister Samaraweera called on the Swedish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for International Development Cooperation and Climate, Hon. Isabella Lövin, yesterday (17), at the Sophia Albertina Palace. Cordial discussions focused on Climate Change and International Development.
Foreign Minister Samaraweera met his Swedish counterpart, Hon. Margot Wallström, yesterday (17), at the Swedish Foreign Ministry. The two Ministers discussed the Sri Lankan Government’s three pillared structure of Democratisation, Reconciliation and Development that would reinforce nation-building as well as ways and means of strengthening bilateral relations.
Wide ranging discussions between the two Foreign Ministers also focused on the European Commission’s proposal to restore the GSP + facility to Sri Lanka. The following sectors were identified by the Board of Investment (BOI) in Sri Lanka as potential markets for Foreign Direct Investment from Sweden.
1. Information Technology & Information Technology enabled Services.
2. Environmental Technology
3. Deep Sea Fishing & Processing
4. Manufacturing
5. Tourism / Recreational Projects
6. Research and Development.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, also met and held discussions with the Speaker of the Swedish Parliament (Riksdag), Hon. Urban Ahlin, and was accorded a tour of the Swedish Parliament on 17 January 2017. Minister Samaraweera held discussions with selected Members of the Swedish Parliament, who are also members of the Committees on Foreign Affairs, Human Rights, Defense, Industry and Trade.
Foreign Minister Samaraweera will participate at a Round Table meeting under the theme of “Smart Cities and Sustainable Development” organized by the Sri Lanka- Sweden Business Association and the Embassy of Sri Lanka, today (18), in Glashuset, Sweden.
