Anne-Marie Descôtes, Secretary General of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Sri Lanka from December 10-11 to participate in the inauguration of the Regional Centre for Maritime Studies at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) on December 11.
The Regional Centre for Maritime Studies is a collaborative initiative between Sri Lanka and France aimed at bolstering expertise in maritime safety and security. This partnership reflects the mutual commitment of the two nations to enhance maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean, particularly as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
During her brief visit, Secretary General Descôtes met with Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Both sides acknowledged the growing strength of the Franco-Sri Lanka partnership, which has been enriched by high-level exchanges and emerging collaborative initiatives.
On December 11, bilateral discussions were held between Secretary General Descôtes and Foreign Secretary Aruni Ranaraja. Both reaffirmed their dedication to deepening the long-standing partnership between the two countries. The dialogue encompassed a variety of potential areas for collaboration, including economic and development cooperation, maritime initiatives, climate change mitigation, and joint efforts in multilateral forums.
Secretary General Descôtes also met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, where the importance of expanding cooperation in education, vocational training, and sustainable tourism was emphasized. Additionally, France extended an invitation for Sri Lanka to participate at the highest level in the Third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), scheduled to take place in June 2025 in Nice, France.The French delegation accompanying Secretary General Descôtes included officials from the Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the French Embassy in Colombo. Senior representatives from Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defence, and the Kotelawala Defence University also participated in the meetings
