News
Lanka, Thailand to finalise FTA in Feb next year
Sri Lanka and Thailand have agreed to sign the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) in February, 2024, the Foreign Ministry announced yesterday (14).The Foreign Ministry said that to pave the way for the signing of the agreement, the negotiations on the agreement would be concluded by the end of this month.
The announcement was made after the successful completion of the eighth round of SLTFTA negotiations held from 27-29 November in Bangkok, Thailand. The negotiations were co-chaired by the Director General of the Department of Trade Negotiations and the Chief Negotiator of Thailand Auramon Supthaweethum and the Chief Negotiator of Sri Lanka K. J. Weerasinghe.
At a seminar on “trade and investment opportunities in Thailand and Sri Lanka” organised in Bangkok, Ambassador of Sri Lanka and Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP, C. A. Chaminda I. Colonne said that in spite of the longstanding historical relations between the two nations based on shared Buddhist religious values, the two-way trade between Sri Lanka and Thailand amounted to only USD 352 million in 2022.
Colonne said that total investments received from Thailand in Sri Lanka is negligible, with only USD 0.74 million recorded in 2022. The Ambassador stated that the vision of the Government of Sri Lanka is to integrate itself into the global economy and in this context, to expand economic and trade relations to South Asia and then to the east and to join Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), for which Sri Lanka has submitted its letter of intent.
A discussion with the Catholic Council was held on Thursday (21) afternoon at the Presidential Secretariat under the co-chairmanship of Minister of Science and Technology, Chrishantha Abeysena and Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.
Discussions focused on administrative issues relating to Catholic schools taken over by the Government, the formulation of a structured teacher cadre system for Catholic religious education, the need to recruit Catholic nuns and priests into the teaching profession and the establishment of a mechanism to obtain the support of the Ministry of Education for the administration of Government-acquired Catholic schools.
It was also decided that discussions with the Catholic Council would be held three times annually, while Senior Additional Secretary to the President Roshan Gamage would serve as Secretary to the forum.
Expressing appreciation on behalf of the Catholic Council, His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith thanked President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government for facilitating the discussion.
His Eminence further stated that the expectation was to ensure every student, without discrimination, is given the opportunity to learn his or her own religion and stressed the importance of resolving the prevailing issues within the education sector.
Also present at the occasion were Most Rev. Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Most Rev. Bishop Christy Noel Emmanuel, Most Rev. Bishop Anton Ranjith, Most Rev. Bishop Wimal Siri Jayasuriya, other clergy representing the Catholic Council, Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Nalaka Kaluwewa and senior officials of the Ministry of Education.
(PMD)
The International Cricket Council (ICC) has decided to broaden the Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy, which was launched last year. Unlike the inaugural edition held in November 2025 that featured eight Associate teams, the second edition will comprise 10 teams, including five Test-playing nations. The tournament is scheduled to be held in November this year.
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE, which arrived in Colombo (21 May 2026) on a replenishment visit, departed the island today (22 May).
The Sri Lanka Navy bade a customary farewell to the departing ship in compliance with naval traditions at the port of Colombo.
During her brief stay in Colombo, the Commanding Officer of the ship, Commander Antonio BUFIS called on the Commander Western Naval Area at the Western Naval Command Headquarters.
Catholic Council reconvenes after nine years
ICC to widen Women’s Emerging Nations Trophy
Italian Navy’s ITS GIOVANNI DELLE BANDE NERE departs following replenishment visit
PM meets Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations
Tennessee execution called off after failed lethal injection
Landslide early warnings issued to the Districts of Colombo, Gampaha, Kalutara, Kegalle, Nuwara Eliya and Ratnapura
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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