Israel says keen to share tech with Sri Lanka

• President encourages agricultural collaboration 

Israel yesterday expressed its willingness to share well-developed technological capabilities, including in areas of agriculture, education, transportation and information technology, to strengthen bilateral relationships with Sri Lanka, the President’s Media Division (PMD) revealed.

In a statement, the PMD said that Israeli Ambassador to Sri Lanka Ron Malka expressed the country’s willingness to share technology with Sri Lanka during his meeting with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat. 

Ambassador Malka, who paid a courtesy call on President Rajapaksa, said that the purpose of his visit was to explore avenues for further cooperation between the two countries, it said.

The PMD stated that President Rajapaksa, recalling his three visits to Israel when he was the Secretary of Defence, said that Israel could help Sri Lanka modernise select sectors of its economy.

“Agriculture is of very high importance to us in terms of its contribution to the national economy and the number of people employed therein. Our agriculture is largely based on traditional practices. It does not yield sufficient income for farmers. For too long they have remained poor. Young people are reluctant to choose agriculture as an occupation, hence there is a need to modernise agriculture so that it can generate adequate income and attract young men and women,” the President was quoted as saying in the statement. 

The Israeli Ambassador stated on a positive note that his country could add value to existing agricultural activities by introducing modern techniques of farming. He also said that Israel could provide assistance to develop and modernise education and vocational training.