Dinesh assures early resumption of medical tourism for Seychellois

Monday, 11 January 2021 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena (left) and outgoing High Commissioner of Seychelles in Colombo Conrad Vincent Mederic

The outgoing High Commissioner of Seychelles in Colombo Conrad Vincent Mederic called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry last week.

The Foreign Minister complemented High Commissioner Mederic for his outstanding and significant contributions towards enhancing Sri Lanka-Seychelles relations during his tenure including the Presidential visits in 2017 and 2018 as the first High Commissioner of Seychelles to Sri Lanka. While acknowledging the staunch support extended by Seychelles to Sri Lanka in the realm of multilateral and international fora, Foreign Minister Gunawardena reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to enhance close collaboration in areas of trade, agriculture medical tourism, blue economy, hospitality, financial sector and information technology.

While offering New Year greetings to the people of Sri Lanka from the President and the Foreign Minister of Seychelles, High Commissioner Mederic underlined the importance of fruitful cooperation between Sri Lanka and Seychelles which has a huge potential to reach new heights in the post-COVID world. The High Commissioner also apprised the opportunities open for Sri Lankan professionals and skilled workers in Seychelles in numerous fields such as in education, health, financial and tourism sectors.

The High Commissioner also commended the state-of-the-art service rendered by hospitality and health industries of Sri Lanka by which several people of Seychelles benefit annually. Foreign Minister Gunawardena assured the envoy the early resumption of medical tourism for the Seychellois people. The Foreign Minister and the High Commissioner also exchanged views on regional and global issues of mutual interest including COVID-19 pandemic, maritime security, human trafficking, drug smuggling and transnational crimes.

Despite the closure of the High Commission of Seychelles in Colombo due to economic constraints posed by the COVID crisis, the High Commissioner handed over a letter to the Foreign Minister seeking permission to appoint an Honorary Consul for Sri Lanka.

As Indian Ocean nations, both parties agreed to consolidate the existing relations embracing new areas of cooperation in the years ahead.