Sri Lanka Eyes New Energy Deal With Azerbaijan

COLOMBO (News 1st); Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath held high-level discussions with Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev during his visit to Baku, as Sri Lanka moves to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with countries across Asia.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the 7th Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), where Minister Herath is leading the Sri Lankan delegation.

Discussions between the two sides focused on enhancing bilateral cooperation in key sectors including trade, investment, tourism and energy.

Particular attention was given to potential cooperation in oil and gas supply, as Sri Lanka seeks to strengthen its energy partnerships and economic engagement with emerging markets across Asia.

Minister Herath is representing Sri Lanka at the CICA Summit being held in Baku from October 14 to 15 and is scheduled to deliver the country's national statement under the theme, "Stronger CICA: Connectivity, Digitalisation and Sustainable Growth in Asia."

During the visit, the Foreign Minister is also expected to hold bilateral meetings with counterparts from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as senior Azerbaijani officials and the Secretary-General of CICA.

The visit is expected to create new opportunities for Sri Lanka to expand cooperation with Central Asian economies, deepen diplomatic engagement and explore avenues for increased trade, investment and tourism.

CICA is the largest regional intergovernmental forum in Asia, bringing together member states to promote dialogue, cooperation, peace, security and stability across the continent.