Swiss Foreign Minister, biz mission visiting Sri Lanka
View(s):A business and economic mission from Switzerland is due in May preceded by a visit by that country’s Foreign Minister Didier Burkhalter in mid March, it was revealed this week.
These details emerged during a meeting between Swiss Ambassador Heinz Walker-Nederkoorn and Industry and Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen in Colombo on Monday.
“All this shows the Swiss political willingness and interest to intensify the bilateral relationship across the board,” the ambassador said in remarks reported by Mr Bathiudeen’s media unit.
Also present on the occasion were Bandula Egodage (Chairman and CEO-EDB), and R.D.S.Kumararatne (DG-Department of Commerce).
The Swiss visiting mission will be led by Ambassador Livia Leu, Head of the Bilateral Economic Relations Division and Delegate of the Federal Council for Trade Agreements of SECO (State Secretariat for Economic Affairs).
Both Minister Bathiudeen and Ambassador Nederkoorn also discussed about other forms of Swiss assistance to Sri Lanka – including Swiss partnered, owner-driven housing projects, investment in village infrastructure such as tsunami reconstructions, fishery and sea-weed culture support and access to water, reconciliation and accountability support.