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Attorney General clears proposal to sign SL-Thailand FTA

Published

3 years ago

2024/01/28

The Attorney General has cleared the proposal to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Sri Lanka and Thailand.The agreement of the Foreign Affairs Ministry has also been received for the same.The approval of the FTA and follow-up steps came up for discussion at the Cabinet of Ministers meeting on Wednesday.

After nine rounds of discussions between the two sides, a complete 14-chapter draft FTA was prepared, including the preamble and annexes, to improve trade and investment, compliance with local laws and regulations and facilitate knowledge sharing.

Earlier this month, Cabinet Co-Spokesman and Minister Bandula Gunawardena confirmed that Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will formally sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) during his scheduled visit to Sri Lanka next month.

Development of supply capacity, attracting export-oriented foreign direct investment and expanding international market access for Sri Lankan goods and services have been identified as strategies that are essential to Sri Lanka’s economic growth.

On 16 January 2018, the Cabinet of Ministers approved to start off negotiations to enter into a free trade agreement with Thailand, which is one of the largest economies and the largest foreign investor in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The National Trade Negotiations Committee has also exchanged views with all relevant local stakeholders during the negotiation process.

Negotiations for the FTA between Sri Lanka and Thailand resumed in November, after being put on hold for four years, consequent to the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing restructuring of Sri Lanka’s State-owned enterprises.

During the first 10 months of 2023, the bilateral trade value between Thailand and Sri Lanka was $ 320.37 million. Thailand exported goods worth $ 213.49 million, while it imported goods worth $ 106.88 million from Sri Lanka.

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Cabinet aporives recruitment of Nursing Instructors for Nursing Schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media on Contract Basis

Published

45 mins ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

There are 17 nursing schools under the Ministry of Health and Mass Media including the postgraduate primary nursing school.

There are 142 vacancies in the posts of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) as on 31.03.2026 in those schools while 24 officers are to be promoted to the special grade on 31.12.2025 owing to the vacancies existing in the post of Special
Grade Nursing Officer (Education). Therefore, the number of vacancies is to be 166.

In addition, there are 24 vacancies in the post of Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Although at present action has been taken to upgrade the nursing schools to nursing colleges and upgrade the nursing diploma course to nursing degree course, no action has been taken so far to carry out recruitment for the training relevant to the appointment for the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education).

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Health and Mass Media to recruit retired nursing instructors and nursing instructors who served in the nursing schools belonging to the three armed forces and are retired or have resigned legitimately from service to the post of Grade I / Special Grade Nursing Officer (Education) on contract basis.

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Signing agreement for the establishment of BIMSTEC Technology Transfer Facility in Sri Lanka

Published

55 mins ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

It has been decided to establish a BIMSTEC technology transfer facility in Sri Lanka by entering into a Host Country Agreement at the second leaders’ summit of BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) held in New Delhi, India, in 2008, with the objective of enhancing regional cooperation.

The relevant cooperation agreement was signed by the member countries at the 5th BIMSTEC summit on 30-03-2022 in Colombo.
The prime objective of this technology transfer facility is to provide technology, capacity building, and management of intellectual property for the micro, small, and medium-scale
enterprises of the BIMSTEC member countries.

According to the cooperation agreement, an agreement should be entered into between Sri Lanka, as the host country, and BIMSTEC Secretariat for formalizing the legal status, privileges, and immunities of the technology transfer facility.

The drafted agreement has received the relevant institutional approval and legal clearance.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Science and Technology to sign the proposed agreement.

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The cabinet approves agreement on mutual legal cooperation in criminal matters between the Republic of Sri Lanka and the Republic of Korea

Published

60 mins ago

2026/09/1

Priyan

Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 11-12-2023 to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka regarding mutual cooperation
in criminal matters.

However, according to the aforementioned approval, the relevant agreement could not be signed between both parties.

Through this agreement, opportunities will be provided
for mutual assistance to other countries in handing over judicial documents and collecting evidence for the use of criminal case matters.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution provided by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to sign an agreement between the Republic of Korea and the Government of Sri Lanka to cooperate in criminal matters.