Sri Lanka and Belgium held their inaugural round of political consultations in Brussels on Tuesday, marking a milestone in bilateral relations between the two countries.
The consultations were conducted under an agreement signed in December 2017 to establish a formal mechanism for political dialogue. The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, director-general of the Europe and North America Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism.
The Belgian delegation was led by Birgit Stevens, director-general for Bilateral Affairs of the Asia and Oceania Division.
Officials undertook a comprehensive review of bilateral ties, including political engagement, high-level visits, trade, investment and tourism. Discussions also covered defense and maritime security cooperation, scientific and cultural exchanges, disaster prevention and climate resilience, green transition initiatives and collaboration in multilateral forums.
Both sides discussed preparations to mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2028.
Sri Lanka reiterated its interest in strengthening economic cooperation, with a focus on trade, tourism and investment in green energy, pharmaceuticals, information and communications technology, ports and logistics.
The delegations also reviewed cooperation within the European Union, including Sri Lanka’s engagement under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), debt restructuring efforts and economic reforms undertaken with guidance from the International Monetary Fund.
Belgium welcomed Sri Lanka’s efforts toward economic recovery and institutional reform. Sri Lanka expressed appreciation for Belgium’s support within the European Union and other international platforms and sought Belgian support for rebuilding efforts following Cyclone Ditwah.
Sri Lanka briefed the Belgian side on measures to enhance good governance, advance national reconciliation and uphold the rule of law. Regional and global developments were also discussed, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to multilateralism, the United Nations Charter and international law.
The consultations highlighted shared priorities in climate action, ocean governance and maritime security. Both sides also discussed potential reciprocal support for candidacies within the United Nations system.
The Sri Lankan delegation included Chandana Weerasena, Sri Lanka’s ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, and senior officials from the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels.
The Belgian delegation included William Asselborn, director for the Asia and Oceania Department, and senior officials from the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation. (Newswire)
