Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister, Tilak Marapana, was in Luxembourg yesterday for a working visit on an invitation by the Minister for Foreign and European Affairs, Jean Asselborn; this was the first official visit of a minister from Sri Lanka to Luxembourg since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1972.

The meeting of the two ministers provided an opportunity to review bilateral relations and the political and human rights situation in Sri Lanka. The ministers discussed opportunities to expand trade in areas of common interest and strengthen economic relations between the two countries. In this context, particular emphasis has been placed on financial services and the air transport and logistics sector. Minister Asselborn recalled the mutual interest of rapidly updating the double taxation agreement, according to the most recent OECD standards.

Discussions were then held on relations between the European Union and Sri Lanka, before discussing the situation in the region and the major issues of international political news.​