Visit of State Minister of Foreign Affairs Hon.Vasantha Senanayake to The Republic of Lebanon on 21st August 2017
State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake paid a courtesy call on the President of Lebanon General Michel Aoun at Babda Palace in Lebanon during his official visit to Lebanon. On behalf of the President of Sri Lanka, the State Minister extended an invitation to the President General Michel Aoun which was warmly accepted.
During the visit by State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake to Lebanon, State Minister Senanayake met the Prime Minister of Lebanon Saad Hariri at his official residence at Grand Serial and discussed on furthering the existing bilateral diplomatic and labour relations into the new spheres of cooperation in the trade, economic, socio-cultural fields for the mutual benefit.
State Minister appraised the role played by Sri Lankan migrant workers and requested Lebanese Government’s assistance to facilitate the legalization process of nearly 5000 undocumented Sri Lankan migrant workers living and working in Lebanon and also to facilitate the repatriation of already registered workers under the Resolution no. of 11360/K.M.Ain/1. He further emphasized that Sri Lanka wishes to send more skilled workers to Lebanon
Prime Minister Saad Hariri expressed Lebanese Government’s readiness to facilitate the legalization process of undocumented Sri Lankan Migrant workers and to ensure their safety and welfare.
State Minister Senanayake also met and had lengthy discussions with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Lebanon, Gebran Bassil and Speaker of the Lebanon Parliament, Nabih Berri. Further, the cordial invitations extended to Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Gebran Bassil and Speaker Nabih Berri were also warmly accepted.
State Minister Senanayake briefed them on the current socio-political and economic developments in Sri Lanka, in the aftermath of the defeat of thirty years of terrorism and developments after the formation of the National Unity Government in 2015. And tie also highlighted significant aspects of the national reconciliation process.
The discussions emphasized the need to expand and consolidate the existing friendly relations in the political, economic, trade, tourism, educational and socio-cultural fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries. Further, exchange of high level political and business delegations were discussed as a means for improving bi-lateral relations. Cooperation in multilateral fora, conclusion of bilateral agreements, Lebanese investments in Sri Lanka, diversification of exports and imports etc. are among the other matters discussed. State Minister Senanayake also addressed a Business Forum organized by the Chamber of Commerce of Zahle and Bekka.
State Minister also met General Hassan Ali Ahmad and Captain Assile Hamzeh of General Security of Lebanon and the Lebanon-Sri Lanka Parliamentary Group at the Lebanese Parliament.
The delegation associated with the meetings was Sri Lanka Ambassador to Lebanon H.M.G.R.R.K. Wijeratne Mendis and the Actg. Director General of the Middle East & Africa Division C. A. Chaminda I. Colonne of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Formal Diplomatic Relations between the countries were established in 1990. The Sri Lanka embassy was established in Beirut in 1998 and it’s twenty years as an active mission. This visit takes place after a fourteen years lapse of a Sri Lankan Foreign Minister visiting Lebanon.