Sri Lanka’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, has commenced a series of high-level diplomatic engagements on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila, strengthening Sri Lanka’s regional and international partnerships.
Among his first bilateral meetings were discussions with India’s External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman during the regional gathering.
Following the meeting, Dr. Jaishankar shared on social media that he was pleased to meet his Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi counterparts, highlighting the continued engagement among the three countries.
The ASEAN Regional Forum, one of the Asia-Pacific region’s leading multilateral security platforms, brings together foreign ministers and senior representatives to discuss regional peace, security cooperation and pressing global issues.
According to Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minister Herath will participate in both the 33rd ARF Ministerial Meeting and the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), taking place in Manila from July 23 to 24.
During the official programme, the Sri Lankan Foreign Minister is expected to deliver addresses at both events while also holding a series of bilateral discussions with foreign ministers from participating countries, the ASEAN Secretary-General, and senior representatives of the European Union and the Asian Development Bank.
His scheduled diplomatic engagements also include a meeting with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro.
In addition to the ministerial meetings, Herath is expected to officially inaugurate the Office of the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Mindanao, marking a step towards expanding Sri Lanka’s diplomatic and consular presence in the Philippines.
