23 June 2016 08:01 pm
Prime Minister Solberg has expressed these views during Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s official visit to Norway from June 21 to 23.
She had also welcomed the efforts made by the government to actively engage the Sri Lankan Diaspora including in Norway in development efforts and had acknowledged the valuable contribution to Norway by the Sri Lankan community in the country.
Minister Samaraweera had meetings with Foreign Minister Børge Brende, Minister of Fisheries Per Sandberg, State Secretary Tore Hattrem and the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence.
Discussions focused on follow-up to the visits of Foreign Minister Brende and State Secretary Tore Hattrem to Sri Lanka and ways and means of enhancing bilateral cooperation and collaboration including in focused areas such as the fisheries sector.
Minister Samaraweera welcomed with appreciation the offer by Norway to provide assistance on fish stock assessment and conduct an oceanographic survey in collaboration with National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA). A request was also made from Norway for assistance in developing a National Policy framework for the Fisheries sector.
The Minister also briefed the Members of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence on the progress and achievements of the Government as well as plans on Constitutional reform, reconciliation and development.
Emphasising the need for greater interaction and engagement between the legislatures of the two countries, the Minister invited the Members of the Standing Committee to visit Sri Lanka at a mutually convenient time.
During the visit, the Foreign Minister participated in a business seminar at ‘Innovation Norway’ in Oslo, attended by the Norwegian business community and potential investors with the objective of encouraging Norwegian businesses to invest in Sri Lanka.