Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday Nov 17, 2025
Monday, 17 November 2025 00:02 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The United States and Sri Lanka yesterday signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing the State Partnership Program (SPP) between Defence Ministry, the Montana National Guard and the US Coast Guard District 13.
Speaking at the ceremony, US Ambassador Julie Chung welcomed the MoU as a “milestone in a growing defence relationship” built on years of cooperation, mutual respect and shared commitment to safety and security.
She noted that although the MoU makes the partnership official, the relationship is already well-established. Since 2021, she said, soldiers, sailors and officers from Sri Lanka and Montana have trained together, exchanged expertise and forged professional and personal bonds.
She recalled key joint engagements such as ATLAS ANGEL 2024 and PACIFIC ANGEL 2025, where Sri Lankan and the US teams worked side by side to enhance humanitarian assistance and disaster-response capabilities. These exercises, she said, went beyond military cooperation—demonstrating “acts of service” and a shared commitment to helping communities in need.
Ambassador Chung also highlighted the most recent collaboration under the SPP, in August, when Sri Lanka Coast Guard officers trained with the US Coast Guard District 13 in Seattle on oil-spill response, hazardous-waste operations and shoreline recovery. Such hands-on experiences, she said, help strengthen maritime security and protect vital sea lanes.
The Ambassador noted that the United States’ SPP, now in its 30th year, has paired National Guards from 54 US states and territories with 115 partner nations around the world, fostering global security as well as friendships that endure beyond uniforms and titles.
“This program isn’t only about defence—it’s about connection,” she said, emphasising that Montanans and Sri Lankans have found common ground through shared challenges and aspirations. She reiterated that the United States deeply values its partnership with Sri Lanka and remains committed to peace, security and prosperity in the region.
Ambassador Chung extended her appreciation to Sri Lanka’s Deputy Defence Minister, Defence Secretary and the Adjutant General of the Montana National Guard for their leadership, noting that their vision had transformed the partnership from an idea into an enduring collaboration.
“As we sign this Memorandum of Understanding, we’re not just formalising a relationship, we’re writing the next chapter of a shared story: one of trust, friendship, and the promise of what we can achieve together,” she said.
