Mahinda Rajapaksa Archives

February 23, 2022

Mr. Bjarke Mikkelsen, CEO and Founder of Daraz, visited Sri Lanka on 14^th and 15^th February 2022 and held an exclusive meeting with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister, Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa. The meeting touched upon the growth of e-commerce in Sri Lanka, the increasing digital transition of consumers and sellers, and Daraz’s commitment to harness the industry’s potential and to support Sri Lanka’s digital economy.

The meeting was held in the presence of Mr. Charith Wijesinghe, Co-ordinating Secretary to the Hon. Prime Minister; Mr. Rakhil Fernando, Managing Director/Country Head of Daraz Sri Lanka; Mr. Darshika Attanayake, Chief Operating Officer of Daraz Sri Lanka; Ms. Anishka De Zylva, Head of Public Policy of Daraz Sri Lanka; and Mr. Malith Ranadewa, Head of Administration, Procurement, and Government Relations of Daraz Sri Lanka.

During the meeting, Mr. Mikkelsen extended an invitation to the Government of Sri Lanka for Alibaba’s New Economy Workshop in China, which targets policymakers and regulators (barring COVID-19 restrictions). Mr. Mikkelsen and the Daraz team also highlighted key initiatives being undertaken by the company to further empower local communities including sellers, women entrepreneurs, and online shoppers.

Moreover, in line with the Government’s vision for economic revival, the Daraz team discussed their focus on building an ecosystem that will support job creation in the e-commerce industry, while creating greater accessibility for all Sri Lankans.

“We see a vast untapped e-commerce opportunity in Sri Lanka, and Daraz is committed to helping the Government realise the potential of the digital economy. Seller and consumer education, expanding financial inclusion, and activating rural communities will be some of our top focus areas in the coming years. We are delighted to work closely with the Government on these initiatives as e-commerce becomes an increasingly vital industry for the country,” said Mr. Mikkelsen.

Daraz Sri Lanka aims to host at least 100,000 active and engaged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) selling on its platform, which in turn could translate to at least 300,000-400,000 new jobs in Sri Lanka.

January 10, 2022

The Colombo Port City Marina Promenade, public walking path, is open to the public daily from today (January 10). Public access will be available from 9:00 a.m. till 6:00 p.m, using the entrance located in front of the Presidential Secretariat.

During an event marking the 65th diplomatic anniversary between China and Sri Lanka, the Colombo Port City Marina Promenade, a 500m public walking path, was opened yesterday (January 09). On this occasion, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Chinese State Council, were present.

January 10, 2022

Following a special request by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa on behalf of Sri Lankan medical students awaiting to return to China to complete their studies, State Councilor and Foreign Minister WANG Yi immediately instructed the Ambassador of China in Sri Lanka to work closely with the Foreign Ministry to facilitate the return of Sri Lankan medical students.

The matter was discussed during the bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Rajapaksa and the visiting Foreign Minister at Temple Trees this morning. Currently, approximately
1,200 medical students, including 400 final-year students, who were studying at Chinese medical institutions, are waiting to return to China to complete their studies. They have
been unable to return due to restrictions imposed as a result of the pandemic. In response to the Prime Minister’s special request, Foreign Minister Yi assured that Sri Lankan
students will be given highest priority.

During the bilateral discussions between the two delegations, a host of other matters were also discussed, including further support for the vaccine program, attracting investments
to the Port City and the Hambantota Industrial Zone, increasing tourism from China to Sri Lanka, increasing Sri Lankan exports to China and enhancing cultural cooperation,
especially in the area of Buddhist ties.

Following the discussions, the delegations signed the following agreements:

Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation
Letter of Exchange on the Project of Subsidized Housing for Low Income Category in Colombo
Handover Certificate of the Technical Cooperation Project for BMICH
Handover Certificate of the Technical Cooperation Project for the Kidney Disease Mobile Screening Ambulance Vehicles

Foreign Minister Yi is on a one-day visit to Sri Lanka to launch the celebrations marking the 65th anniversary of Sri Lanka—China bilateral relations. Last year the Central Bank of
Sri Lanka issued a commemorative coin to mark the 65th anniversary as well as the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. A set of the coins were
gifted to the visiting Foreign Minister by the Prime Minister. Conveying best wishes from the President and Premier of China to Prime Minister Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Yi said,
“China will continue to do its best to provide all the necessary help and support to Sri Lanka”

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Opening Remarks

Good morning, Your Excellency and welcome once again to Sri Lanka. Your last visit to Sri Lanka was exactly two years ago, and I’m happy to see you return. I believe these
regular high-level visits help reaffirm our strong and friendly relations.

This year is an important year for our two countries. It marks the 65th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations and 70 years of signing the Rubber-Rice Pact. Allow me to
also congratulate the Communist Party of China on its 100th anniversary. As you know, the Central Bank of Sri Lanka issued a commemorative coin to mark these important
milestones.

Excellency, I want to thank the Government and the friendly people of China for the generous support towards fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. The consistent supply of the
Sinopharm vaccines made a significant contribution to our successful vaccine program.
As you know, similar to many other countries, Sri Lanka’s economy was also greatly impacted by the pandemic. We appreciate China’s assistance towards our economic revival
and financial stability. There is still a long way to go in establishing normalcy, but we’re confident that with support from friendly countries like China, we will be able to overcome
these challenges soon. I look forward to continue working closely with you and the Government of China in addressing common challenges.

Source: The Government Official News Portal

December 24, 2021

Foreign Minister Prof. G. L Peiris met the newly appointed envoys representing 17 countries at the Foreign Ministry on 22 December. The meeting followed the presentation of credentials to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 21 December by the envoys. Most of the envoys are non-resident Heads of Mission based in New Delhi.

Minister Peiris welcomed the Heads of Mission and stated that the Sri Lankan Government looked forward to strong and substantial relationships with all of them. He further stated that during his previous tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs under the leadership of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Government felt that there was insufficient representation in the African continent and deliberate efforts were made to strengthen relations with the African countries. The present Government under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa is also looking towards forming close bonds with the African nations as well as consolidating relations with the African Union, Minister Peiris said.

The Foreign Minister briefed the Ambassadors on the current situation and developments in Sri Lanka. He stated that the country has achieved substantial success even after the country’s structural plans, priorities and frameworks planned by the present Government were disrupted by the Covid19 pandemic. He stated that 90% of individuals above the age of 30 have been double vaccinated and the country is now providing booster shots. The Minister spoke of Sri Lanka’s efficient health care and delivery system as well as the support given by the armed forces who made that sure vaccines reached remote areas of the country. The Ambassadors were briefed on the resilience of the private sector which changed the nature of products, like the apparel industry producing PPE kits to suit the environment affected by the pandemic, making sure the export income of the country did not get affected and people continued to be employed. In the case of remittances, Minister Peiris acknowledged that remittances were affected due to a large number of Sri Lankans living abroad returning to their home country due to the pandemic. He stated that the government was in discussions with many countries since many now want to return.

The Foreign Minister also explained that the country was ravaged by a 30 year conflict and a conflict of such magnitude is bound to leave residues. He stated that it has taken other countries decades to recover and that Sri Lanka has made every effort to deal with the residual issues. He spoke of mechanisms set up by the Sri Lankan Government like the Office of Missing Persons, Commissions of Inquiry, ONUR, and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka all working towards tackling the remnants of the conflict. Referring to Sri Lanka’s commitment to gender empowerment and gender equality, Minister Peiris mentioned that the Human Rights Commission is headed by a former female judge of the Supreme Court and that Sri Lanka is working towards more female representation in decision making.

Minister Peiris stated that Sri Lanka has always engaged and will continue to engage purposefully and cordially with the United Nations but objected to the excessive interference into the internal affairs of the country. The Minister objected to the setting up of a ‘special mechanism’ by the UN whose sole purpose was to collect data to use against Sri Lanka. He stated that there was no way of knowing what the data was and therefore had no opportunity to test the truth in these allegations.

The Minister called for the empathy of the Ambassadors and High Commissioners present and their backing to Sri Lanka in the international platforms stating that it was important for the UN to support the efforts made by a country to get back on its feet and not tear it down. He pointed out that local institutions must be given the space and time to carve out solutions that sustain the culture and ethics of an individual country.

He concluded the meeting by inviting the Ambassadors to Sri Lanka join the celebration for the upcoming National Day in February 2022 and stated that Sri Lanka looks forward to stronger bilateral relations and cooperation in the UN arena.

The heads of Missions of the 17 countries present were:

1. 1. 1. The Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone – High Commissioner Ernest Mbaimba
    2. The Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan – Ambassador Mohammed El-Kayed
    3. The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea – Ambassador Choe Hui Chol
    4. The Government of the Republic of Rwanda – High Commissioner Mukangira Jacqueline
    5. The Government of the Republic of Botswana – High Commissioner Gilbert Shimane Mangole
    6. The Government of the Republic of Malta – High Commissioner Reuben Gauci
    7. The Government of Hungary – Ambassador Andras Laszlo Kiraly
    8. The Government of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania – Ambassador Muhammad Ahmad Rara
    9. The Government of the Republic of Tunisia – Ambassador Hayet Talbi Bilel
    10. The Government of the Argentine Republic – Ambassador Hugo Javier Gobbi
    11. The Government of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana – High Commissioner Charrandass Persaud
    12. The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt – Ambassador Maged Mosleh
    13. The Government of the Dominican Republic – Ambassador David Emmanuel Puig
    14. The Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria – High Commissioner Ahmed Sule
    15. The Government of the Republic of Indonesia – Ambassador Dewi Gustina Tobing
    16. The Government of the Kingdom of Spain – Ambassador Jose Maria Dominguez
    17. The Government of the Republic of Slovenia – Ambassador Mateja Ghosh

Source: Government News Portal

December 14, 2021

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa was on a multi-faceted inspection tour of the Hambantota International Port (HIP) to appraise the ongoing development projects at the port.

Johnson Liu, CEO of Hambantota International Port Group, giving a grand welcome to the Prime Minister and his delegation said “it is my sincere pleasure to have Honorable Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa at this special event. Today, we witness the progress and success of the port, which was developed under your guidance and visionary leadership, and this port now serves as a beacon light for the economic development of the southern region of Sri Lanka.”

The Prime Minister was accompanied by H.E. Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of China to Sri Lanka and Ministers G L Pieris, Chamal Rajapaksa, Namal Rajapaksa. The PM’s visit also coincided with the port achieving the milestone of 500,000 RORO vehicles handled in 2021, for which he participated in a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The visit included the laying of the foundation stone for the port’s first Bonded Warehouse Project, after which the Prime Minister was accompanied by the port team to inspect the construction sites of plants being set up by the Xinji Shenzhen Group and Ceylon Tire Manufacturing Company. The PM also inspected the slope protection project initiated by the port to stabilise the area for the tire manufacturing facility, which is a US$ 300 million investment. The project, being developed on 55.8 hectares of land which includes scope for an additional 16 acres for its second phase, has a commitment to export 30,000 container units annually, and is expected to create more than 3000 job opportunities. The US$ 15 million plug and play park in park facility by the Xinji Shenzhen Group, a high-tech facility to provide ‘one stop’ services to light industries, is being built on 3.07 hectares of land and will create approximately 500 jobs.

The Prime Minister and his delegation were given a brief introduction to the Master Plan for the HIP Industrial Park by CEO Johnson Liu. The delegates were briefed on the new Hope Village project being established by the port to benefit surrounding communities which will help develop livelihoods in animal husbandry and agriculture. HIPG’s vision is to inspire positive change and empower people and communities while protecting the environment and people to create a sustainably powered future. In line with that, HIP has carried out 43 CSR projects since 2018, with more than Rs. 80 million donated for the upliftment of local communities.

The tour ended at an event held on the 12th floor of the Hambantota Maritime Center where COO of HIPG Tissa Wickramasinghe presented the PM with a project report on all the development activities at the Hambantota International Port.

The Logistics Warehouse facility which is being built by Hambantota Port and Logistics Services Pvt. Ltd., the warehousing arm of the Colombo Logistics Group to store bagged cargo, is being developed on a land area of approximately 1 hectare. The Colombo Logistics Group, the first local investor for warehousing in HIP, has 14 years of experience in developing large scale ventures, acquiring a reputation for fast paced expansion in the country’s logistics sector.

The new warehousing facility once completed will spur HIP’s plans to develop fertilizer distribution both locally and for transshipment.

The port was able to increase RORO (roll on-roll off) volumes this year by introducing effective new strategies and the formation of partnerships with new RORO lines to bring transshipment cargo via HIP. The innovative approach resulted in the 500,000 units of small and large vehicles handled in 2021, amidst continuing challenges faced by the pandemic. The vehicles transshipped are mainly manufactured in India, Thailand, Japan and Korea and destined for Africa, the Middle East, Far East and South America.

Elaborating on the port’s success model, CEO Johnson Liu added, “Hambantota International Port with its mission to become a world-class seaport, is now operating across a number of business sectors not limited to RORO, Bulk and General Cargo. As per Sri Lanka Government requirements, the SLPA, Sri Lanka Navy, Sri Lanka Police and Sri Lanka Customs operate within the port, overseeing its overall security. We at HIPG put in place a blue print titled ‘HIP Speed’ which is specifically designed to clear bottlenecks and build processes that do not stand in the way of implementing projects on time. Our deadline for completion of projects is much tighter due to this, which has helped us that much more to bring suitable investment to the port. We are ably supported now by two government agencies, the Board of Investment and the Industrial Development Board, who have offices at the Hambantota Maritime Center situated within the port. This would help us to smoothen the initial investment and implementation process and in turn build confidence among those who want to partner us in projects.”

Operationally the port has been fast tracking processes not only for its short-term needs, but looking to the future in terms of what infrastructure will be required to position port activity in the various sectors, for fast development under HIP Speed. The masterplan for the port is being followed meticulously and HIP is now in the process of developing upstream and downstream supply chains for the smooth operation of its industrial zone.

Until now, 42 enterprises have signed agreements with HIPG to enter the Industrial Park, of which 10 projects have already commenced construction. 8 new projects are to be signed soon, while another 15 projects with key potential are in the pipeline. The Hambantota port will be a symbol of the long-term friendship between Sri Lanka and China, and the CEO of HIPG says the China Merchants Group will continue to contribute to the economic development of the Hambantota region.

February 25, 2020

Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa presenting HNB Chairman, Dinesh Weerakkody and HNB Managing Director/CEO, Jonathan Alles with the award for No.1 Ranking on the Biz Today Top 30

Daraz Commits to Boosting the Digital Economy in Sri Lanka

The Colombo Port City Marina Promenade, public walking path, is now open to the public

China to Work with Sri Lanka to Facilitate Return of Sri Lankan Medical Students Studying in China

Foreign Minister Peiris meets Envoys of 17 countries after their presentation of credentials

PM Mahinda Rajapaksa visits Hambantota International Port

Banking excellence redefined: HNB clinches top spot on Business Today rankings