Dr. Benjami Reyes, Secretary General of the Colombo Plan (CP), recently met with Saudi Arabian Ambassador Khalid Hamoud Alkahtani to discuss enhanced collaboration in the maritime sector.
Joined by Rohan Masakorala, Lead Consultant to the CP Maritime Advisory Programme, discussions centered on infrastructure, capacity building, and trade facilitation, highlighting areas of mutual interest.
Ambassador Alkahtani expressed optimism and reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to future cooperation initiatives with the CP, recognizing its pivotal role in the region. Meanwhile, the United States, another CP member country, has taken a leading role in funding key projects, notably supporting a three-year capacity building program for the Sri Lanka Ports Authority through the CP.
Established in 1950, the Colombo Plan aims to foster economic and social development in Asia and the Pacific, facilitating technology transfer and cooperation among member countries.
It emphasizes South-South cooperation, with a focus on developmental experiences sharing. The CP's Drug Advisory Programme (DAP), funded by the US, operates in over eighty countries, alongside permanent programmes such as the Capacity Building Programme, Gender Affairs Programme (GAP), and Environment Programme.
