President Ranil Wickremesinghe with heads of ASEAN missions

The heads of the ASEAN missions in Sri Lanka discussed with President Ranil Wickremesinghe this week the advancement of the association and Sri Lanka cooperation, including in trade, investment and tourism.
The discussion took place when the heads hosted a dinner in honour of Wickremesinghe, earlier this week. 

The ASEAN heads of missions were led by Dewi Gustina Tobing, Ambassador of Indonesia, as the current country’s chair of ASEAN and Ambassador of Myanmar Han Thu, Ambassador of Viet Nam Ho Thi Thanh Truc, Ambassador of Thailand Poj Harnpol and High Commission of Malaysia CDA Aneurin Ignatius also attended.  
Foreign Affairs State Minister Tharaka Balasuriya, President’s Chief of Staff Sagala Ratnayaka, Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and Board of Investment Chairman Dinesh Weerakkody were also present.   

Tobing, representing the ASEAN, briefed Wickremesinghe on the priority of the ASEAN under the chairmanship of Indonesia, which aimed to make the ASEAN the motor of peace and stability in the region and to make Southeast Asia the centre of economic growth. With the theme ‘ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth’, the ASEAN countries will ensure that the ASEAN remains and is increasingly relevant to the ASEAN community and world. 

 Wickremesinghe appraised the development and central role of the ASEAN and keened to have a closer collaboration with the ASEAN. Wickremesinghe hoped there would be an increase in investment and tourists from the ASEAN countries, given that the flows from the region only account for a small proportion of investment and tourism.  The ASEAN heads of missions of Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam generally responded positively to Wickremesinghe’s hopes for increasing the flow of investment and tourists from the ASEAN countries, especially in supporting Sri Lanka in economic recovery efforts. The ASEAN heads of missions are also expected to increase the two-way trade relations with Sri Lanka and advance more market access between Sri Lanka and the respective ASEAN countries. 

The ASEAN heads of missions further expressed their willingness to advance cooperation in various fields that benefit Sri Lanka’s economic development, both individually in bilateral relations and within the ASEAN framework. 

It was noted that Sri Lanka’s major exports to the region consisted of apparel, electrical machinery, natural pearls and tea. In contrast, mineral fuels, oils, rubber and machinery were Sri Lanka’s main imports. The meeting further noted that Sri Lanka joined the ASEAN Regional Forum and is a signatory country to the ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation.