Press Releases
![Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo 1 Ambassador and Permanent Representative Wijayanthi Edirisinghe attends Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Board of Trustees Meeting](https://bangkok.embassy.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/wijayanthi-ait-img-1.webp)
Ambassador and Permanent Representative Wijayanthi Edirisinghe attends Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Board of Trustees Meeting
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka Wijayanthi Edirisinghe honored to participate in the Board of Trustees Meeting and Presidential Handover Ceremony at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) held on 22nd August 2024 in Bangkok. A warm welcome was extended by the President and the Board of Trustees of AIT to Ambassador Wijayanthi Edirisinghe attended first time. The Head of Chancery, A.W.S. Samanmali also joined the Board of Trustees Meeting from the Mission.
![Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo 2 Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand interacts with the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Ties](https://bangkok.embassy.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/strengthen-bilateral-economic-img-1.webp)
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand interacts with the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Ties
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand Wijayanthi Edirisinghe held a fruitful interaction with the Executive Committee of the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce on 22nd August 2024 to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand.
![Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo](https://bangkok.embassy.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BIMSTEC-1.jpg)
![Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo Ministerial Meeting of BIMSTEC held in Colombo](https://bangkok.embassy.gov.lk/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/BIMSTEC-1.jpg)
Assuming the Chairmanship of the meeting, Prof. G.L. Pieris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated that Sri Lanka’s geo-strategic location at the centre of the Indian Ocean has been a magnet, attracting a diverse variety of nations and peoples, over the centuries from far and near, be they traders, seafarers, religious missionaries, scholars and writers to its shores. He further stated that Sri Lanka is providing the setting to bring together Foreign Ministers and diplomats from South Asia and South East Asia in Colombo under the auspices of the BIMSTEC, serving as a bridge between these two regions.
Minister Pieris called for action within the BIMSTEC for greater economic cooperation among the countries. He emphasised that as the trajectory of global economic growth shifts towards Asia, the trade and investment component of BIMSTEC countries should be revitalised. He also stated that participation and networking among the private sectors in the region is a significant step towards this end and that the organisation should take the lead in building a robust and dynamic private sector network and facilitate the private sectors in this region to work together to enhance the flow of trade and investment.
Leading the Sri Lanka delegation, Minister for Regional Cooperation, Tharaka Balasuirya stated that at a time where the economic centrality of the world is shifting towards Asia and consumption patterns are ever changing by this shift, BIMSTEC remains vested with a group of countries that could bring a great change in the global economy. He added that as a founding member of this group, Sri Lanka finds it significant that the country has this opportunity to host the Summit in Sri Lanka and steer the journey of this important group towards a concrete outcome.
The visiting Ministers of Foreign Affairs agreed at the meeting that BIMSTEC is a vibrant platform for prosperity and peace and emphasized that BIMSTEC’s work on trade and agreement could be a way forward in accelerating cooperation among the countries. The Ministers further encouraged the BIMSTEC Secretariat to fast-track activities in sectors such as agriculture, food security, connectivity and energy.
Sri Lanka thanked the member states of BIMSTEC for the cooperation extended during its tenure as the Chair of the group and ceremoniously handed over the Chairmanship of BIMSTEC to Thailand, the incoming Ministerial Chair.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative Wijayanthi Edirisinghe attends Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Board of Trustees Meeting
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka Wijayanthi Edirisinghe honored to participate in the Board of Trustees Meeting and Presidential Handover Ceremony at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) held on 22nd August 2024 in Bangkok. A warm welcome was extended by the President and the Board of Trustees of AIT to Ambassador Wijayanthi Edirisinghe attended first time. The Head of Chancery, A.W.S. Samanmali also joined the Board of Trustees Meeting from the Mission.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand interacts with the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce to Strengthen Bilateral Economic Ties
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand Wijayanthi Edirisinghe held a fruitful interaction with the Executive Committee of the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce on 22nd August 2024 to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral trade and economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand.