President Anura Kumara Dissanayake arrived back in Sri Lanka this morning following the conclusion of his first official visit to Germany.
The President and his delegation landed at Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) at 08:58 a.m. on a flight from Doha, Qatar.
President Dissanayake’s visit, which began on 11 June, included high-profile bilateral meetings, a business roundtable, and an engagement with the German tourism industry, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement.
He was invited by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who warmly received him with a ceremonial Guard of Honour at Bellevue Palace in Berlin.
During their talks, the two presidents exchanged views on strengthening their longstanding bilateral relationship and making use of growing economic opportunities, particularly in vocational training and tourism. President Dissanayake also updated his German counterpart on Sri Lanka’s ongoing economic stabilisation, reconciliation, and future plans.
German Foreign Minister Dr Johann Wadephul and German Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Reem Alabali-Radovan also called on President Dissanayake during his visit. The meetings primarily dealt with growing exchanges, German investment, GSP Plus facilities, multilateral cooperation, and vocational training initiatives.
President Dissanayake further appreciated German development assistance, which includes the German-Sri Lanka Friendship Maternity Hospital in Galle and the German Technical Training Institute in Kilinochchi.
During his visit, German State Secretary Dr Thomas Steffen met with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath to discuss progress made by the government in strengthening political stability, improving the investment climate, and fostering greater cooperation.
At a business forum in Berlin, President Dissanayake assured investors that his government was creating a conductive and transparent investment climate while extending an invitation to make use of the country’s strategic location and growing opportunities.
He also held a meeting with key tourism industry associations in Germany, where he explained plans to protect the sustainable nature of tourism in Sri Lanka, to address human resource bottlenecks, and to enable continued growth.
President Dissanayake was accompanied by Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, Ambassador Varuni Muthukumarana, Director General for Europe and North America Sugeeshwara Gunaratna, Chairman of the Board of Investment Arjuna Herath, and other senior officials during the visit.
