French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi, who made brief visits to Sri Lanka over the weekend, met President Ranil Wickremesinghe separately and pledged their fullest support to Sri Lanka’s debt restructuring and economic recovery efforts.
Macron’s historic visit was the first by a sitting French President to the island. Presidents Wickremesinghe and Macron held friendly and productive bilateral discussions which lasted for an hour and fifteen minutes.
The main objective was to enhance the existing relations between Sri Lanka and France, especially considering the 75th anniversary of their diplomatic ties being celebrated this year.
President Wickremesinghe expressed admiration for France’s significant role in global affairs, particularly in areas such as climate mitigation, global debt restructuring, and Indo-Pacific issues. President Macron recalled his recent conversations with President Wickremesinghe in Paris, which took place during New Global Financing Pact Summit.
He reaffirmed France’s willingness and commitment to supporting Sri Lanka in its economic recovery. As the fourth-largest creditor to Sri Lanka, France pledged its assistance in the debt restructuring process.
In a Twitter post following the discussions, President Macron said, “Sri Lanka and France are two nations in the Indian Ocean sharing the same goal: an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
In Colombo we confirmed it: strong as in our 75 years of diplomatic relations, we would open a new era to our partnership.”
The discussions between the two leaders focused on strengthening cooperation in various sectors, including politics, economics, tourism, Climate Change, sustainable development, and maritime activities. As part of the commemoration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, several specific areas for further collaboration were identified.
These include the setting up of a school for maritime safety and security, the opening of a permanent office for the French Agency for Development (AFD) in Sri Lanka, the initiation of high-level diplomatic dialogues, cooperation in the education sector, and the enhancement of efforts to combat human trafficking. President Macron expressed a keen interest in collaborating with Sri Lanka during its upcoming chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), of which France is a member.
Yesterday, Foreign Minister of Japan Yoshimasa Hayashi paid a courtesy call on President Wickremesinghe in Colombo where they held discussions on the bilateral relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka, with a mutual commitment to further strengthen their traditionally robust ties.
President Wickremesinghe expressed his gratitude to the Japanese Government for their support in the debt restructuring process and shared details of French President Emmanuel Macron’s offer, aiming to play a pivotal role in enhancing the common platform for debt restructuring and expediting the process.
Another significant aspect of their talks revolved around key areas of cooperation, namely the Light Rail Transit (LRT), the East Terminal, the Kandy Development Plan, Central Expressway, and the expansion of the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA). Both parties expressed the importance of expediting the implementation of these projects.
Additionally, they delved into bilateral, regional, and global issues, emphasizing their shared commitment to maintaining the region as a peaceful and stable area. President Wickremesinghe also highlighted the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka’s high-tech industries, envisioning a transformation from a labour market-oriented economy to one that caters to cutting-edge technological advancements.
Foreign Minister, Ali Sabry, PC, addressing the media at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday, expressed deep appreciation for the steadfast support and substantial aid provided by Japan amid the country’s unparalleled economic turmoil.
“Sri Lanka is deeply appreciative for the solidarity and the significant assistance Japan has extended to Sri Lanka in 2022, when the country was going through an unprecedented economic crisis. We are grateful to Japan for the unwavering support and grant assistance extended to Sri Lanka during these challenging times, as well as for Japan’s confidence in Sri Lanka.
In Sri Lanka’s recent negotiations with the IMF, Japan played an important supportive role in the successful outcome of the discussions with the IMF and subsequently in facilitating the unique donor platform for our debt restructuring negotiations,” Minister Sabry said.
Both countries recalled the recent exchange of high-level visits, with President Wickremesinghe having visited Japan on two occasions, engaging in fruitful discussions with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and having the privilege of an audience with His Majesty, the Emperor.
The meeting between the two Foreign Ministers yesterday involved detailed bilateral discussions on a broad range of matters, including economic recovery, sustainable growth, and enhancing cooperation in various sectors. Minister Sabry said that Sri Lanka aims to discuss with the Minister about Sri Lanka’s upcoming Chairmanship of the IORA, and the commitment to promote peace, security, safety and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) for the prosperity of all States, within the framework of international law. Minister Sabry said that the relationship between the two nations had led to the betterment of people-to-people links including openings in new sectors where Sri Lanka can be a source of the skilled manpower requirements of the Japanese economy, while strengthening existing tourism and education cooperation.
Minister Sabry invited Japan to resume stalled investment projects and welcomed fresh investments in key sectors such as power, infrastructure, dedicated investment zones, Green, and digital economies. Japan’s Official Development Assistance (ODA) through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) was highlighted as a vital aspect of Sri Lanka’s development.
Geopolitical dynamics in the Indian Ocean region have added significance to Japan’s involvement in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery. Foreign Minister Hayashi, expressing Japan’s commitment to the “Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP),” also welcomed Sri Lanka’s ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), highlighting Japan’s focus on global security matters. “Sri Lanka is located at a strategic juncture along the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean and is an important partner in realising the FOIP.
“I explained about the new plan for FOIP that Prime Minister Kishida announced in March this year, and said that Japan attaches importance to cooperation with the IORA, which Sri Lanka will chair from October. As Japan attaches importance to the universalisation and promotion of entry into force of the CTBT,” Minister Hayashi said.
He concluded his visit with the hope that Sri Lanka would overcome its current crisis and emerge as a hub for economic development in the IOR, assuring Japan’s continued support in this endeavour.