In a meeting held on Monday (13) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Secretary Wijewardane engaged with Assistant Secretary Lu to explore avenues for enhancing bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and the United States.
During the discussion, Foreign Secretary Wijewardane briefed Assistant Secretary Lu on recent developments in Sri Lanka’s economic landscape, emphasizing the country’s export-oriented growth strategies and initiatives aimed at fostering an open market environment.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement highlighting Wijewardane’s elaboration on the government’s efforts to improve governance, uphold the rule of law, enhance financial oversight, combat corruption, and promote reconciliation.
Wijewardane also underscored the robust security cooperation between Sri Lanka and the U.S., particularly in maritime safety and security, as well as the protection of maritime trade interests.
Assistant Secretary Lu commended Sri Lanka’s efforts in engaging with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and acknowledged the positive outcomes achieved. He also praised the passage of anti-corruption legislation and pledged ongoing support for its implementation, along with broader macroeconomic reforms.
Lu encouraged Sri Lanka to pursue inclusive approaches across all sectors.
Accompanying Assistant Secretary Lu were U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung, along with senior officials from the Department of State and the U.S. Embassy. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane was supported by senior officials from the Attorney General’s Department, the Ministry of Finance, the Office for International Trade, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Following the meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Assistant Secretary Lu paid a courtesy call on President Ranil Wickremesinghe and also met with the Chief of Staff to the President and National Security Advisor, Sagala Ratnayake.
