Singapore and Sri Lanka have reaffirmed longstanding and strong relations between the two countries when the Singaporean Foreign Minister met with President Maithripala Sirisena.

Singapore's Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam called on Sri Lanka's President Maithripala Sirisena in Colombo during the first leg of a state visit yesterday (24).

President Sirisena noted the close friendship between Singapore and Sri Lanka and expressed support for deeper cooperation between both countries.

Foreign Minister of Singapore K. Shanmugam also had breakfast with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, who gave updates on development plans, including those to revive the Western Region Megapolis masterplan that Singapore helped create in 2004.

Sri Lanka's Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera then hosted dinner for his Singaporean counterpart, and the ministers discussed ways to expand links between both countries.

Sri Lanka's Governor of the Central Bank Arjuna Mahendran and Shanmugam also exchanged views on how to deepen economic cooperation.

While on the trip, Shanmugam invited the Sri Lankan government to send its officials to Singapore to participate in customised capacity-building programmes in areas including water management, urban planning, judicial governance and financial management. He also extended an invitation to Sri Lanka's leaders to visit Singapore.

Shanmugam will be visiting Sri Lanka and India until Thursday. He will next visit the Indian city of Jaipur as well as Hyderabad.
(with inputs from Channel News Asia)