Inclusive economic growth, anti-corruption, human rights and national reconciliation are on the agenda as Catherine West, Minister for Indo-Pacific will meet President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and other key government ministers.

The visit marks the first ministerial visit to Sri Lanka since the formation of new governments in both countries.

The Minister will strengthen valuable UK-Sri Lanka trade links, boosting growth for UK and Sri Lankan businesses. She will launch new export procedure handbooks, helping Sri Lankan businesses better access the UK market through the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The Minister will also travel to Jaffna to emphasise the UK’s ongoing support for human rights, reconciliation, climate resilience and minority rights.

She will meet with local political leaders and civil society organisations working on post-conflict rehabilitation, as well as visiting the only FCDO-funded climate adaptation project which directly addresses groundwater depletion and its impact on agriculture and local communities.