President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has postponed his official visit to France, originally scheduled for later this month, until the end of the year due to urgent domestic matters, including the situation following the recent unrest at the Negombo Prison, according to The Sunday Times.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath said the French Government has been informed of the postponement, and a new date has been requested for later this year.
The invitation for the visit was extended after President Dissanayake met French President Emmanuel Macron during the AI Action Summit held in New Delhi in February.
One of the key objectives of the visit was to seek France’s support for the extension of Sri Lanka’s GSP+ trade concession. As the current GSP+ arrangement is due to expire on December 31, Sri Lanka is expected to submit a fresh application for the concession next year.
The GSP+ scheme grants eligible developing countries preferential access to the European Union market, subject to compliance with 27 international conventions covering human rights, labour rights, environmental protection and good governance.
Minister Herath also said the government intends to sign three Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with France during the President’s visit, covering economic and financial cooperation as well as defence collaboration.
He added that the government hopes to finalize the contents of the agreements before the visit takes place.
According to the report, the President’s delegation is expected to include Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath and the Deputy Minister of Finance.
Source: The Sunday Times
