The Second Round of Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Brazil was held yesterday (20) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism in Colombo, marking a significant step in strengthening long-standing friendly relations between the two countries.
The meeting was co-chaired by Secretary to the Ministry Aruni Ranaraja and Ambassador Susan Kleebank, Secretary for Asia and the Pacific at Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The consultations reviewed progress since the first round held in 2022 and explored new areas for cooperation. Both sides acknowledged steady growth in economic ties and agreed to increase bilateral trade to USD 1 billion by 2030.
The two countries also emphasized the need to expand engagement in response to changing global economic conditions and committed to expediting pending agreements in key areas such as defence, law enforcement, countering human smuggling and transnational crime, traditional and Ayurvedic medicine, and diplomatic training.
They welcomed the finalisation of the Dairy Livestock Project and the Sugarcane Project under technical cooperation, which are expected to be signed soon with the support of the Brazilian Cooperation Agency.
Discussions also covered preparations for the upcoming state visit of President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to Brazil. Both sides agreed to strengthen parliamentary diplomacy by reviving Parliamentary Friendship Groups and exchanging delegations, including an upcoming visit by a women’s parliamentary group from Brazil.
New opportunities for collaboration were identified in sectors such as agriculture, animal husbandry, agricultural research, ports and shipping, and sports. Both countries also agreed to continue close cooperation in bilateral and multilateral forums.
In addition, Ambassador Kleebank met with Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath, where both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing bilateral relations and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
