US State Department’s Assistant Secretary Alice Wells to arrive in SL

US State Department’s Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells will travel to Malé, Maldives and Sri Lanka from October 9-11,’ US State Department said.

“Ambassador Wells will reiterate the strong U.S. commitment to our partnerships with Sri Lanka and Maldives and our shared interests in a prosperous and open Indo-Pacific region,” it said in a statement.

She will meet with Sri Lankan officials in Colombo and will emphasize the importance of the U.S.-Sri Lanka relationship to shared Indo-Pacific goals, with the growing bilateral defense relationship as an area of particular promise.

She will also urge continued progress on constitutional reform, human rights, reconciliation, and transitional justice and accountability.

In Malé, Ambassador Wells will meet with current Maldivian government officials, the President-Elect, and civil society leaders. She will offer congratulations on the country’s successful national elections and convey U.S. interest in expanding bilateral cooperation.