K Shanmugam makes official visit to Sri Lanka
01 June 2012
SINGAPORE: Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam was in Sri Lanka for a four-day official visit.
During his trip, he visited Trincomalee, a port city in the Eastern Province and Jaffna, the capital city of the Northern Province.
Mr Shanmugam met the Governor of the Eastern Province Mohan Wijewickrama and Governor of the Northern Province G A Chandrasiri and other local leaders in both cities.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said they briefed him on their respective development plans and priorities.
The focus in Trincomalee was in building up tourism, agriculture and fisheries.
Mr Shanmugam also visited the Prima Flour Mill in Trincomalee.
Prima is the largest Singapore-based investor in Sri Lanka.
The ministry said in Jaffna, Mr Shanmugam saw a province that was slowly recovering from the decades-long conflict.
He was briefed on the reconstruction and development efforts there.
In his meetings, Mr Shanmugam said Singapore would be happy to consider some technical assistance in capacity building, such as skills upgrading and teacher-training in computer literacy.
While in Jaffna, he also visited the Jaffna Public Library.
In 2011, Singapore contributed a project to refurbish the Children's Section of the Library and provided training of Jaffna librarians.
Mr Shanmugam said: "I am very happy to see that a project by Singapore is helping so many children in Jaffna. The local officials have asked for further assistance to enhance the library, including the library data management system.
"I promised them that Singapore will certainly help where we can, to build on our earlier contribution. This is a worthwhile project. It will have a great impact on the lives of the children of Jaffna."
Mr Shanmugam also visited a village which resettled displaced persons. He was briefed by local officials on the progress of resettlement. He visited some of the houses and talked to the inhabitants.
Minister Shanmugam said: "Rebuilding is taking place. The government and local officials are focused on reconstruction and helping the people find new livelihoods. The international community should do what we can to help them so that they can have a better future."
Earlier, Mr Shanmugam met his counterparts Minister of External Affairs Professor G L Peiris and Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem on 30 May 2012 in Colombo.
Mr Shanmugam and Minister Peiris reaffirmed the friendly bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1970. Minister Peiris updated Minister Shanmugam on post-conflict developments in Sri Lanka, and the steps taken by the government towards national reconciliation.
The two ministers agreed that there was scope for expanding linkages in the areas of trade and investment, technical assistance and people-to-people ties.
In his interaction with business leaders at the seminar cum networking session organised by the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 30 May 2012, Mr Shanmugam shared their hope that the restoration of peace and reconciliation would bring about opportunities in trade and investment, education and tourism, which would mutually benefit people in both countries and bring about greater prosperity.
Mr Shanmugam and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen jointly witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce aimed at stepping up greater economic exchanges.
- CNA/ck
01 June 2012
SINGAPORE: Law and Foreign Affairs Minister K Shanmugam was in Sri Lanka for a four-day official visit.During his trip, he visited Trincomalee, a port city in the Eastern Province and Jaffna, the capital city of the Northern Province.
Mr Shanmugam met the Governor of the Eastern Province Mohan Wijewickrama and Governor of the Northern Province G A Chandrasiri and other local leaders in both cities.
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said they briefed him on their respective development plans and priorities.
The focus in Trincomalee was in building up tourism, agriculture and fisheries.
Mr Shanmugam also visited the Prima Flour Mill in Trincomalee.
Prima is the largest Singapore-based investor in Sri Lanka.
The ministry said in Jaffna, Mr Shanmugam saw a province that was slowly recovering from the decades-long conflict.
He was briefed on the reconstruction and development efforts there.
In his meetings, Mr Shanmugam said Singapore would be happy to consider some technical assistance in capacity building, such as skills upgrading and teacher-training in computer literacy.
While in Jaffna, he also visited the Jaffna Public Library.
In 2011, Singapore contributed a project to refurbish the Children's Section of the Library and provided training of Jaffna librarians.
Mr Shanmugam said: "I am very happy to see that a project by Singapore is helping so many children in Jaffna. The local officials have asked for further assistance to enhance the library, including the library data management system.
"I promised them that Singapore will certainly help where we can, to build on our earlier contribution. This is a worthwhile project. It will have a great impact on the lives of the children of Jaffna."
Mr Shanmugam also visited a village which resettled displaced persons. He was briefed by local officials on the progress of resettlement. He visited some of the houses and talked to the inhabitants.
Minister Shanmugam said: "Rebuilding is taking place. The government and local officials are focused on reconstruction and helping the people find new livelihoods. The international community should do what we can to help them so that they can have a better future."
Earlier, Mr Shanmugam met his counterparts Minister of External Affairs Professor G L Peiris and Minister of Justice Rauff Hakeem on 30 May 2012 in Colombo.
Mr Shanmugam and Minister Peiris reaffirmed the friendly bilateral relations since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1970. Minister Peiris updated Minister Shanmugam on post-conflict developments in Sri Lanka, and the steps taken by the government towards national reconciliation.
The two ministers agreed that there was scope for expanding linkages in the areas of trade and investment, technical assistance and people-to-people ties.
In his interaction with business leaders at the seminar cum networking session organised by the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce on 30 May 2012, Mr Shanmugam shared their hope that the restoration of peace and reconciliation would bring about opportunities in trade and investment, education and tourism, which would mutually benefit people in both countries and bring about greater prosperity.
Mr Shanmugam and Minister of Industry and Commerce Rishad Bathiudeen jointly witnessed the signing of the memorandum of understanding between the Singapore Business Federation and the Sri Lanka-Singapore Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce aimed at stepping up greater economic exchanges.
- CNA/ck
