The Sixth Session of the Senior Officials’ Meeting of the Partnership Forum between Sri Lanka – South Africa was held in Pretoria, South Africa on seventh April.
The Partnership Forum between Sri Lanka and South Africa was built up in 2003 with a target to progress and fortify close participation between the two nations in the political, exchange, financial, culture, scientific and technological fields. The Senior Officials looked into the advance made in the distinguished ranges of participation and pondered on further growing the current collaboration to cover the subjects of education, development of skills, science and technology, innovation exchange, blue economy, transport and network, police administrations, wildlife, water and farming. The Forum chose to meet in Colombo in November 2017 to audit and propel execution of choices made in all regions for the common advantage of both nations.
The Forum was co-led by Mrs. Grace Asirwatham, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka and Ambassador Anil Sooklal, Deputy Director General, Asia and Middle East of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa.
The meeting additionally thought about South Africa accepting the seat of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in October 2017 and noticed the significance of the Indian Ocean in the progression of the formative plan in the IORA part nations.
The High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to South Africa Sunil de Silva and High Commissioner of South Africa to Sri Lanka, Ms. Robina P. Marks, agents of the Ministry of Defense and Department of Commerce of Sri Lanka and the significant line organizations of South Africa likewise went to the Senior Officials’ meeting of the Partnership Forum.