President returns from visits to Tanzania, Seychelles

President Mahinda Rajapaksa returned to the island yesterday concluding a five day successful state visit to Tanzania and Seychelles.

The twin state visits by President Rajapaksa is not only his first to Tanzania and Seychelles, but also the first by any Sri Lankan president.

The visit was part of President Rajapaksa’s vision of further strengthening south-south cooperation. President Rajapaksa during his three day state visit to Tanzania held bilateral discussion with his Tanzanian counterpart Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, and participated in the 2013 Global Smart Partnership Dialogue in Dar-es-Salam.

President Kikwete reaffirmed his country’s participation at the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Sri Lanka, in addition to sending a delegation to the Commonwealth Business Forum.

During the visit, Sri Lanka and Tanzania signed three agreements covering visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, Intelligence, Defence and Security and Cultural Cooperation.

In Dar-es-Salam, President Rajapaksa met Malaysian Prime Minister Sri Najib.

The Malaysian Prime Minister stated that his country supported Sri Lanka’s bid for hosting CHOGM, and therefore Malaysia will participate.

President Rajapaksa during his two day state visit to Seychelles held bilateral discussion with Seychelles President James Alix Michel.

Agreements were signed for bilateral air-service, MOU on vocational training and youth development and MOU on defence cooperation between the two countries.

President Rajapaksa also addressed the National Assembly of Seychelles, and attended the Sri Lanka-Seychelles Business Forum.