Sri Lanka says relations with Japan strengthened following visit

Sri Lanka says relations with Japan have been strengthened following the visit by?State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan Kazuyuki Nakane.

Nakane visited Sri Lanka from 28 -30 August 2018. Nakane participated in the commissioning ceremony of the two coast guard patrol vessels donated by Japan to Sri Lanka?at the Port of Colombo on 29 August.

During the visit, State Minister Nakane called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kiriella, and also met with Minister of Plantation Industries Navin Dissanayke and the Secretary to the President Udaya R. Seneviratne.

The two coast guard patrol vessels, “SLCGS?Samudra? Raksha“? and “SLCGS?Samaraksha” were donated to Sri Lanka by Japan as part of the Grant Agreement signed between Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Government of Sri Lanka, based on the joint declaration on the comprehensive partnership between the two countries.

These patrol vessels will add to the capacity of the?Sri Lanka Coast Guard in?its activities related to?maritime safety, maritime law enforcement, Search and Rescue (SAR), mitigation of disaster risks, and environment protection.

The?State Minister of Foreign Affairs of Japan briefed the Prime Minister and the Acting Foreign Minister on the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) Partnerships Initiative of the G-7, where each G-7 Member State selects a partner country to provide targeted assistance to advance the Women, Peace and Security Agenda through enhanced G-7 coordination, in accordance with the relevant United Nations resolutions.

Japan has selected Sri Lanka as?its?partner country under this initiative to support Sri Lanka’s WPS Agenda.

The initiative is based on the recognition that gender equality, the empowerment of women and girls and respect for their human rights are vital to achieving and sustaining peace. Sri Lanka’s appreciation for Japan’s assistance?under this programme?was conveyed to State Minister Nakane, the Foreign Ministry said. (Colombo Gazette)