President Ranil Wickremesinghe is accompanied in his ongoing official visit to Uganda by four opposition MPs among others.
Wickremesinghe held talks with other state leaders on 19 January in Kampala.
Also present at his meeting with his South African counterpart Cyril Ramaphosa were foreign minister Ali Sabry and state minister Chamara Sampath Dassanayake.
MPs Kins Nelson of the SJB, Nimal Piyatissa of the NFF, Kumarasiri Ratnayake of the SLPP and independent member Udayakantha Gunatilake too, attended.
Secretary to the president Saman Ekanayake and senior presidential advisor Ruwan Wijewardena participated as well.
Bilateral discussions with state leaders
President Wickremesinghe participated in several bilateral discussions with leaders and representatives from Global South countries in the African region on Thrusday (19), coinciding with the Non-Aligned Nations Conference held in Kampala, Uganda.
Tanzania’s Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa also held a meeting with President Wickremesinghe, where they delved into bilateral discussions.
Bahamas Prime Minister Philip E. Davis, Vice President of the Republic of Benin Mariam Chabi Talata Zime Yerima and Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed also met with President Ranil Wickremesinghe, participating in meaningful bilateral discussions.
President Wickremesinghe and Prime Minister of Nepal Pushpa Kamal Dahal engaged in extensive discussions on promoting the cultural and religious relations that have existed between the two countries, emphasizing the potential for promoting tourism.
With the aim of expanding political relations, a proposal was made to facilitate an exchange program for Members of Parliament to study the parliamentary affairs of both countries.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe met Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni on the sidelines of the NAM Summit in Kampala.
The President also met Yoweri Museveni, the President of the Republic of Uganda, where the latter expressed his joy at President Wickremesinghe’s acceptance of the invitation for the official visit and lauded his significant role in revitalizing Sri Lanka’s economy. President Museveni commended the nation for its achievements in this regard.
The leaders delved into discussions about Sri Lanka’s new economic program, with President Ranil Wickremesinghe highlighting the positive economic trajectory since entering into an agreement with the International Monetary Fund. He emphasized the anticipated growth in 2024.
Indian EAM calls on Prez
The Minister of External Affairs of India Dr S. Jaishankar also called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe for discussions.
Posting on X (formerly Twitter) following the meeting, the Indian EAM said:
“Pleased to call on Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe on the side-lines of the Non-Aligned Movement Summit in Kampala.
Appreciate his continued guidance for the advancement of our bilateral initiatives. India’s commitment is reflected in our Neighbourhood First and SAGAR policy”.
