Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation Minister and Leader of the House, Bimal Rathnayake represented Sri Lanka at the Global Aviation and Maritime Symposium held in Singapore, reaffirming the nation’s commitment to advancing its role as a regional transport and trade hub.
Participating as a key speaker at the Ministerial and Industry Roundtable on July 14, themed ‘Shaping Tomorrow’s Transport: People, Technology and Policy’, Minister Rathnayake joined an international panel featuring:
- Festus Keyamo, Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Nigeria
- Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser, Minister of Transport and Logistics Services, Saudi Arabia
- Simon Kofe, Minister of Transport, Energy, Communications and Innovation, Tuvalu
- Helena Sjöström Falk, President & CEO of IFATCA
- Yvonne Manzi Makolo, CEO of RwandAir Ltd.
- Mary Liew, General Secretary of Singapore Maritime Officers Union
Minister Rathnayake highlighted the critical need for stronger coordination between aviation and maritime sectorsto enhance global transport resilience. He emphasised regional cooperation, joint crisis response mechanisms, and Sri Lanka’s strategic geographical role as an air-sea gateway in the Indian Ocean.
He further outlined Sri Lanka’s pioneering step to integrate transport, highways, ports, and aviation under a single ministry—a first since independence—aimed at unlocking synergies and driving coordinated infrastructure development.
On July 15, at the Third Asia Pacific Summit for Aviation Safety (AP-SAS), the Minister addressed the panel on ‘Strategies to Support Safe Aviation Growth’, alongside transport leaders and civil aviation regulators from across the region.
He reaffirmed that aviation safety is a national priority, supported by a comprehensive Master Plan aligned with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and backed by strong political will. He noted that civil aviation plays a vital role in tourism, trade, and global connectivity, especially within Sri Lanka’s broader transport integration strategy.
Minister Rathnayake was accompanied by:
- Senarath Dissanayake, Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Singapore
- Tharani Anoja Gamage, Additional Secretary (Development), Transport Ministry
- Ahamed Razee, Minister/Head of Chancery, High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore
- Bhagya Abeykoon, Minister Counsellor (Commercial)
The visit marked a significant step in building international partnerships, strengthening Sri Lanka’s transport diplomacy, and shaping future strategies for sustainable and safe transport growth.
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