The Foreign Secretaries of Sri Lanka and Thailand successfully concluded their bilateral consultations during the 5th Round of Sri Lanka-Thailand Bilateral Political Consultations. The meeting took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Colombo.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aruni Wijewardane, while the Thai delegation was headed by Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Sarun Charoensuwan.
The discussions covered various areas of mutual collaboration, including trade and investment, defense, culture, fisheries, and tourism. Both sides reviewed the progress made and identified areas for further development.
Foreign Secretary Wijewardane emphasized Sri Lanka's commitment to enhancing bilateral relations with Thailand and the broader ASEAN region. Sri Lanka expressed its priority in concluding the Thailand-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement and joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement. Foreign Secretary Wijewardane sought Thai support for Sri Lanka's application to join the RCEP.
Foreign Secretary Wijewardane also congratulated Thailand on the progress made in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) under its current Chairmanship. The Vision of a Prosperous, Resilient, and Open BIMSTEC by 2030 was initiated.
The Thai Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs provided updates on the latest developments in Thailand, including the appointment of the new Prime Minister, Srettha Thavisin. Permanent Secretary Charoensuwan commended Sri Lanka's recovery and assured continued Thai technical assistance to support Sri Lanka's efforts.
The two sides also discussed ongoing regional and multilateral developments, including in ASEAN, BIMSTEC, the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), and the United Nations.
In addition to the political consultations, a negotiation and business matching session took place between leading private sector companies from both countries.
During their visit, the Thai delegation also called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry.
The Sri Lankan delegation included senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as officials from the Ministries of Defense and Fisheries and the Department of External Resources (ERD). The Thai delegation included the Thai Ambassador to Sri Lanka, Poj Harnpol, and other senior officials from the Thai Foreign Ministry.
