Asirwatham addresses Foreign Affairs Committee of European Parliament

Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the European Union Grace Asirwatham was invited to speak on developments in Sri Lanka at a meeting of the South Asia Delegation, which functions under the purview of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 23 October.     

Asirwatham in her speech referred to the multifaceted relationship between Sri Lanka and the European Union. She noted that the EU was Sri Lanka’s largest export destination, a major source of Foreign Direct Investment and tourism. She referred to the strong democratic traditions in Sri Lanka and noted the participation of EU Election Observers in the forthcoming Presidential Elections. Asirwatham also referred to the opening of Sri Lanka’s third international airport in Jaffna as a significant milestone in promoting reconciliation and strengthening connectivity for economic development. 

The Special Session on South Asia was chaired by MEP Nosheena Mobarik, Vice Chairs MEP John Howarth, MEP Milan Zver and several other Members of the European Parliament. Ambassadors of several South Asian countries and representatives of political groups in the EU Parliament also participated.