Sweden pledges full support to Sri Lanka to get GSP+ back

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallstrom has pledged to provide the Government of Sweden’s every possible assistance to Sri Lanka to regain the GSP+ facility.

She made these remarks when she met with the President Maithripala Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat, yesterday. She is on an official visit to Sri Lanka.

During the meeting, Sweden’s Foreign Minister and the President discussed in detail regarding the ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries. President Sirisena took this opportunity to thank the Government of Sweden for the assistance given so far for the development projects in Sri Lanka.

President Sirisena requested Sweden’s Foreign Minister to provide support for research activities in preventing kidney disease, which is spreading in Sri Lanka and Ms. Wallstrom pledged to provide Sweden’s assistance in this regard. 
She further said that already a special project has been implemented by the Uppsala University in Sweden and the Karolinska Medical Institute of Sweden with the collaboration of Rajarata University of Sri Lanka.

President also requested the Swedish Foreign Minister to assist establish vocational training centers to enhance the opportunities for vocational training for the youth in the North and the East. He also called for help to develop training in the fields of education, fisheries and environment.

He also invited the Swedish investors to utilize the investing opportunities available in Sri Lanka. He emphasized he would provide required facilities on this regard as a government. The Swedish Foreign Minister commended the government’s program to fulfill its responsibilities during the post conflict period by ensuring the democracy and freedom of the people in Sri Lanka.