Sri Lanka and Azerbaijan have discussed ways to strengthen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and energy, with particular attention to expanding cooperation in oil and gas supplies, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The discussions took place between Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath and President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev during the Minister’s visit to Baku, where he is leading the Sri Lankan delegation to the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA).
The summit is being held in Baku on 14 and 15 October 2026 under the theme “A Stronger CICA Forum: Connectivity, Digitalisation and Sustainable Growth in Asia.” Minister Herath is scheduled to deliver Sri Lanka’s national statement at the summit.
During the visit, the Minister is also scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with foreign ministers and representatives of CICA member states, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. Meetings with Azerbaijani representatives and the CICA Secretary-General are also planned.
The visit is expected to provide opportunities to strengthen Sri Lanka’s diplomatic relations with Asian countries and explore new trade and investment opportunities, particularly with the rapidly developing economies of Central Asia.
CICA is a regional intergovernmental forum that aims to enhance cooperation among Asian countries and promote peace, security and stability across the region.
