PRESS RELEASE BY THE OFFICE OF THE SPEAKER Speaker of the House of Representatives meets the Ambassador of Sri Lanka

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Anġlu Farrugia, held a courtesy meeting with Satya Rodrigo, Ambassador of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka to Malta.

During the meeting, both sides highlighted the importance of strengthening bilateral relations as Malta and Sri Lanka celebrate the 25^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties this year. The discussions covered a wide range of areas of mutual interest, including political dialogue, trade and investment, education, cultural exchange, and maritime cooperation.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives welcomed the recent opening of Malta's Honorary Consulate in Colombo, noting that this will further facilitate closer cooperation between the two countries, particularly in the fields of commerce and tourism. Speaker Farrugia also underlined Malta's commitment to building on the commonalities shared by the two island nations, including their membership of the Commonwealth.

Ambassador Rodrigo expressed his government's appreciation for Malta's engagement and conveyed Sri Lanka's interest in advancing cooperation, especially in the areas of education, maritime training, and people-to-people contacts. He also reaffirmed Sri Lanka's commitment to enhancing its dialogue with the European Union, where Malta plays an active role.

The meeting also touched upon broader multilateral and regional issues, including developments within the Commonwealth, cooperation in international fora, and the importance of promoting peace, stability, and sustainable development.

Both parties agreed on the value of continued dialogue and pledged to explore new avenues of collaboration for the mutual benefit of the peoples of Malta and Sri Lanka.