Netherlands Ambassador Strengthens Bilateral Ties in Meeting with theDeputy Minister of Defence

His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Mr. Wiebe de Boer paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), at his office in Colombo yesterday (26 Jan).

The meeting, marked by cordiality and mutual respect, centered on matters of shared interest and explored avenues to further deepen the longstanding bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Deputy Minister Defence, on behalf of His Excellency the President and the people of Sri Lanka, conveyed sincere gratitude for the steadfast support provided by the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in coordination with the European Union (EU), during and in the aftermath of Sri Lanka's recent disaster situation. He further expressed appreciation for the Netherlands' valuable assistance to the 'Design and Construction of Rural Bridges Project', a flagship national initiative aimed at enhancing rural connectivity, livelihoods, and the overall quality of life in communities across the island.

The Ambassador commended the positive recovery progress following the recent calamities. He reaffirmed the Netherlands' continued commitment to sharing expertise and knowledge, particularly in disaster risk reduction, in alignment with Sri Lanka's core development priorities.

Both parties reiterated the dedication to sustaining close and friendly relations and expressed confidence in the continued growth of cooperative partnership in the years to come.