Sri Lanka and Finland sign MoU on political consultation mechanism in Helsinki

The Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Finland was held in Helsinki, marking an important step in further strengthening the longstanding and cordial relations between the two countries.

The meeting held yesterday (25) reflected the enduring friendship that has characterized bilateral ties since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1954, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.

A key highlight of the consultations was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Establishment of a Political Consultation Mechanism between Sri Lanka and Finland, a milestone in Sri Lanka – Finland relations. 

The MoU institutionalizes a structured and regular framework for political dialogue and cooperation, underscoring the shared determination to elevate the partnership to new heights. 

The consultations provided a comprehensive platform to review the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation, assess progress achieved since the inaugural round in 2018, and identify new and emerging areas for collaboration. 

The discussions encompassed trade, investment, tourism, development cooperation, and private sector engagement. The delegations acknowledged the potential to further expand bilateral trade and investment flows and emphasized the importance of encouraging business-to-business partnerships and innovation-driven collaboration. 

The two sides also exchanged views on regional and global developments of mutual interest and international cooperation. Both delegations reaffirmed their strong commitment to multilateralism and to upholding the principles and purposes enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations. 

The two sides explored new avenues of cooperation in several priority sectors, such as mutual recognition of seafarer training qualifications, with a view to facilitating professional mobility and strengthening maritime sector cooperation, collaboration in vocational education and training (VET), including skills development initiatives aligned with emerging labor market needs and meteorological data sharing and capacity building, the statement said. 

Recognizing the important contribution of the Sri Lankan expatriate community in Finland to the socio-economic development of both countries, the welfare of Sri Lankans residing in Finland received focused attention. 

The Sri Lankan delegation highlighted challenges faced by Sri Lankan students and their family members in obtaining visas for education, employment, and family reunification. 

Sri Lanka requested the Finnish side to consider establishing a visa centre in Colombo and to streamline the verification of visa documents further, to expedite the issuance of visas for Sri Lankan students pursuing higher education in Finland. 

According to the statement, both sides exchanged constructive views on enhancing mobility frameworks to promote educational exchanges, professional engagement, and people-to-people contact.

The consultations also covered Sri Lanka’s engagement with the European Union, including matters relating to GSP Plus. Sri Lanka side expressed sincere appreciation for the continued assistance extended by Finland and the European Union in support of Sri Lanka’s economic stabilization, recovery, and resilience-building efforts. 

Sri Lanka also conveyed its gratitude to the Government of Finland for its support in the aftermath of Cyclone DITWAH, through Finland’s contribution through the United Nations Central Emergency Response Fund (UN CERF). 

The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Director General of the Europe & North America Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka and comprised Kapila Fonseka, Ambassador of Sri Lanka in Stockholm, accredited to Finland, and Sachini Dias, Deputy Director of the Europe & North America Division, it added. 

The Finnish delegation was headed by Jari Sinkari, Director General of the Department of Asia and Oceania of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, and included senior officials of the Finnish Foreign Ministry.