Australian FM here today

Rasika Somarathna

Australian Foreign Minister Senator Bob Carr will arrive in Sri Lanka today on a four-day official visit.

He will hold talks with Sri Lanka's leadership including External Affairs Minister, Professor G L Peiris, Australian High Commission sources in Colombo said.

Talks will cover aid, economic development, human rights and people smuggling issues, they added. This will be Senator Carr's first visit to the country as Foreign Minister.

According to the sources, Australia provides AU $47 million a year in aid to Sri Lanka, with focus on education and rebuilding economic infrastructure following the end of the conflict in 2009. Past aid contributions include clearing of unexploded ordinance and land mines, rebuilding of around 5,000 homes and 23 schools and delivery of water and sanitation to nearly 44,000 people.

Sri Lanka is also an important regional partner in the fight against people smuggling, having disrupted more than 60 separate people smuggling ventures this year involving around 2,900 people.