The second round of bilateral political consultations between Sri Lanka and Brazil was held today (20) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in Colombo, marking a step forward in strengthening relations between the two countries.
The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary to the Ministry Aruni Ranaraja and Ambassador Susan Kleebank, Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, according to an official statement.
The consultations reviewed progress since the first round of talks held in 2022 and explored new areas for cooperation.
During discussions, both sides acknowledged steady growth in economic cooperation and agreed to increase bilateral trade to USD 1 billion by 2030.
They also emphasized the need to expand engagement in response to changing global economic conditions.
The two countries agreed to expedite the finalization of pending memoranda of understanding and agreements in key areas, including defence, law enforcement, countering human smuggling and transnational organized crime, traditional and Ayurvedic medicine, and diplomatic training.
Both sides expressed satisfaction over the progress of the Dairy Livestock Project and the Sugarcane Project under technical cooperation, which are expected to be signed soon with support from the Brazilian Cooperation Agency.
Preparations for President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s upcoming state visit to Brazil were also discussed.
The two countries further agreed to strengthen parliamentary ties by reviving Parliamentary Friendship Groups and exchanging delegations. A women’s parliamentary delegation from Brazil is expected to visit Sri Lanka in this regard.
Additional areas of cooperation identified during the talks include agriculture, animal husbandry, agricultural research, ports and shipping, and sports.
Both sides also agreed to continue close collaboration in bilateral and multilateral forums.
Ambassador Susan Kleebank also met with Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath, where both parties reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
