Belarus, Sri Lanka agree to step up contacts in business & education

Belarus and Sri Lanka have identified ways to intensify contacts in business and education. 

The matter was discussed during the working visit of Belarusian Ambassador to India with concurrent accreditation to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal Andrei Rzheussky to Sri Lanka, BelTA learned from the Belarusian embassy in India.

On 1 February, the Belarusian diplomat held meetings in Parliament, the Ministry of Justice, institutions of the penitentiary system of Sri Lanka, and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce.

On 2 February, the ambassador held a number of meetings with the leadership of government agencies and chambers of commerce in Sri Lanka.

During the meeting of Andrei Rzheussky with Minister of Education of Sri Lanka Dr. Susil Premajayantha and Deputy Minister of Technology of Sri Lanka Prof. Niranjan Gunawardena, the Sri Lankan representatives expressed willingness to expand cooperation with Belarus in engineering, agricultural, information, vocational and technical specialties, including joint educational programs of double diploma. 

They also showed their interest in establishing cooperation with the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. The Sri Lankan side praised a significant increase in the number of students from Sri Lanka studying at medical institutions of Belarus. 

A round table was held to feature representatives of over 25 higher educational institutions of Sri Lanka, educational associations, foundations and departments of professional training. An agreement was reached on a visit of a Sri Lankan educational delegation led by the minister of education to Belarus in H1 2023.

The expansion of inter-parliamentary relations between Belarus and Sri Lanka was discussed at the ambassador’s meeting with Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana and Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake. 

“The speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament confirmed his willingness to take concrete steps to resume the friendship group with the Republic of Belarus in the Sri Lankan Parliament with the observation of all necessary procedures. The Sri Lankan party also expressed their intentions to deepen cooperation between the parliaments of the two countries, including the organization of joint meetings on a bilateral basis and within the framework of international organizations,” the embassy said.

The prospects of supplies of Belarusian food and chemical products to the Sri Lankan market were discussed at the meeting of Andrei Rzheussky with Minister of Agriculture Mahinda Amaraweera.

Trade and economic cooperation was the focus of the talks between the Belarusian ambassador and the presidents of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Sri Lanka, the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka and representatives of Sri Lankan businesses.

 “Agreements were reached on building closer trade, economic and investment cooperation between our friendly countries. The Sri Lankan party expressed their readiness to host an official delegation of the Belarusian Hi-Tech Park, Bremino-Orsha and representatives of the Belarusian business,” the embassy said.

- Agencies