Sri Lanka and Cyprus Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation on Common Environmental Challenges

The Minister of Environment of Sri Lanka, Dr. Dammika Patabendi, held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of the Republic of Cyprus.

During the meeting, Minister Patabendi highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Cyprus, noting that both island nations faced similar environmental challenges. He emphasized the potential for enhanced cooperation and knowledge-sharing in addressing these common concerns.

Both Ministers acknowledged the shared environmental challenges faced by the two countries, particularly in climate change, marine pollution, coastal erosion, biodiversity conservation and the sustainable management of natural resources.

Minister Patabendi outlined Sri Lanka’s key environmental priorities and ongoing initiatives, including the conservation of forest reserves, increasing forest cover, protecting biodiversity and strengthening international cooperation to address plastic pollution and other global environmental challenges. He also highlighted recent efforts to strengthen the country’s environmental regulatory framework, including amendments to the National Environmental Act, and emphasized the importance of greater youth participation in environmental protection and conservation.

Minister Senekis highlighted the environmental challenges faced by Cyprus, particularly prolonged droughts, water scarcity, rising temperatures and forest fires. He stressed the importance of enhancing climate resilience and strengthening international cooperation to address environmental challenges that transcend national boundaries.

The two Ministers agreed to establish direct communication channels between relevant officials of the two Ministries to facilitate the exchange of technical expertise and experiences and explore areas of bilateral cooperation, particularly in marine environmental protection and conservation.

The meeting was also attended by the Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment of Cyprus, Andreas Georgiou, and the Head of Cabinet of the Minister, Marios Adamides.

Minister Patabendi was accompanied by officials of the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Cyprus.