The British-Sri Lankan diaspora community in the UK has been recognised for their significant contribution towards the prosperity of its country of residence.
The community has been described as a “unique asset hence the need to maintain an inclusive approach towards diaspora engagement in order to forge a unifying narrative, that would positively contribute towards the development of Sri Lanka.”
These were highlighted at a meeting in Colombo between Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Professor G. L. Peiris and Lord Tariq Ahmad of Wimbledon – the Minister of State for South Asia, the United Nations and the Commonwealth of the UK.
In acknowledging the contributions of the British Sri Lankan diaspora community, the two countries used the occasion as an opportunity to deepen bilateral ties and expressed interest in “furthering cooperation in political relations; trade, investment and tourism; Indian Ocean cooperation, defense and counter-terrorism; climate change and renewable energy; education and STEM; and employment generation.”
An MOU on Healthcare Cooperation between Sri Lanka and the UK was also signed at Colombo’s Foreign Affairs Ministry where the meeting was held; with the objective of providing employment opportunities for Sri Lankan nurses and other healthcare professionals based in the UK.
Both sides also looked forward to their participation in this year’s Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Kigali, Rwanda, as well as the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
By: Theresa R. Fianko
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