On the sidelines of the International Expert Conference on the World Heritage Property of the Sacred City of Anuradhapura at UNESCO, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya undertook a series of high-level engagements in the bilateral sphere, during her official visit to France from 31 March to 2 April. The meetings were undertaken with a view to further consolidating the existing multifaceted partnership between Sri Lanka and France across a broad range of sectors.
Prime Minister Amarasuriya had a meeting with the former Prime Minister and the Minister of State for National Education, Higher Education and Research E lisabeth Borne at the Ministry of Education on 1 April 2025. The discussions focused on enhancing cooperation in areas of mutual interest including education, higher education and vocational training; cooperation in the Indian Ocean; maritime affairs; climate action; and exchange of high-level visits; among other spheres. Both sides took note of the upward momentum in Sri Lanka – France bilateral relations, and reiterated the shared interest to build further on existing synergies.
On the invitation of the French Government, the Prime Minister also attended the ConcludingSegment of the SOS Ocean Conference organized by the Government of France in partnership with the Oceano Azul Foundation and Bloomberg Philanthropies at Muse de l’Homme on 31 March 2025. The Conference was organised with the attendance of Heads of State and Government in the run up to the UN Ocean Conference (UNOC3), with the aim of setting up an action plan to protect the seas as the world’s oceans face unprecedented threats from pollution and climate change.
Addressing the Conference the Prime Minister reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s unwavering commitment to ocean conservation, sustainable marine governance, ecosystem restoration and enhanced regional cooperation, as an island nation located in the heart of the Indian Ocean. The Prime Minister underscored Sri Lanka’s advocation of enhanced regional cooperation on biodiversity protection, plastic pollution, and in building a sustainable and resilient blue economy. She also reiterated Sri Lanka’s interest in the upcoming UNOC3 which will be held in Nice in June this year.
During the Conference, the Prime Minister also had occasion to meet and exchange greetings with the President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron who conveyed his warm greetings to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. President Macron delivered the concluding remarks at the Conference. The Prime Minister also interacted and exchanged greetings with H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco, the former President of Chile and the former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, and the President of the European Council Anto nio Costa who also addressed the high-level segments of the Conference.
The Prime Minister was hosted to a breakfast meeting by the President of the France - Sri Lanka Friendship Group in the French Senate on 2 April 2025. The President of the Friendship Group Senator Vanina Paoli-Gagin warmly welcomed the Prime Minister to the Senate and the discussions underscored the importance of France – Sri Lanka relations, especially in the context of the Indian Ocean, and avenues of further elevating friendship and cooperation building on the existing synergies. The Senate Friendship Group welcomed the recent formation of the counterpart Sri Lanka – France Parliamentary Friendship Group in the Sri Lanka Parliament under the presidency of the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Savithri Paulraj, with Prime Minister Amarasuriya holding the position of patron of the Group. Exchange of visits by the two parliamentary friendship groups was also discussed. A cross-party group of Senators from the Friendship Group comprising Senators Sylvie Goy-Chavent, Dany Wattebled, Didier Marie and Vivette Lopez attended the breakfast meeting with Senator Paoli-Gagin.
The Senate Friendship Group also facilitated an official tour of the historic Senate building (Luxemboug Palace) following the meeting, and the Prime Minister was invited to sign the Dignitaries Book placed in the historic Senate Library.
On the invitation of the prestigious French University ScinecesPo, Prime Minister Amarasuriya also participated in an interactive session with students titled “60 Minutes with Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka”, which was moderated by Professor Christophe Jaffrelot, Research Director CNRS and Director CERI. The event was organised by the Paris School of International Affairs and the South Asia Programme at CERI, SciencesPo, and was attended by over 250 students who engaged in a vibrant Q&A with the Prime Minister on political developments in Sri Lanka, democracy and
geopolitics of South Asia, Sri Lanka’s foreign policy imperatives, as well as multilateral issues of relevance such as climate change and migration, among other topics.
The Prime Minister also met the Director of SciencesPo Luis Vassy, and engaged in a discussion on ongoing academic collaboration between SciencesPo and Sri Lankan Universities including the University of Colombo. She also had discussions with Professor Eric Meyer, Emeritus Professor of History at Inalco (National Institute for Oriental Languages and Civilizations), Paris, who is a specialist on Sri Lanka studies.
A “Partnership Agreement between the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France and the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education of Sri Lanka related to the improvement of French Teaching in Sri Lanka” was signed during the visit between the Sri Lankan Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France. Support for French language teaching in Sri Lanka was discussed in the context of this Agreement.
The Prime Minister also visited the Muse e Guimet which is the French National Museum of Asian Arts housing a world-renowned collection of Asian art. The Curators also showed a few artefacts from Sri Lanka available in the museum to the Prime Minister.
The delegation of the Prime Minister comprised the Minister of Buddhasasana Religious and Cultural Affairs Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi; the Director General, Central Cultural Fund Dr. Nilan Cooray and the Director General, Department of Archaeology Prof. Thusitha Mendis. The Prime Minster was assisted by the Ambassador and Permanent Delegate of Sri Lanka to UNESCO Manisha Gunasekera and senior staff of the Sri Lanka Embassy in France.
Prime Minister’s Media Division
