Sri Lanka and Palestine move to expand diplomatic, economic and humanitarian ties

Sri Lanka and Palestine reaffirmed their longstanding friendship this week, with both sides pledging to deepen cooperation across diplomatic, economic, educational and humanitarian spheres.

According to the Representative Office of Sri Lanka in Ramallah, Sri Lanka’s Representative to Palestine, Farook Mohamed Fawzer, paid a courtesy call on the Governor of Ramallah and Al‑Bireh, Dr. Laila Ghannam, at the Governorate headquarters on Monday (07).

Fawzer reiterated Sri Lanka’s five‑decade commitment to the Palestinian cause and support for multilateral efforts to uphold international law and promote a peaceful resolution. 

He announced Sri Lanka’s interest in reinitiating the Sri Lanka Vocational Training Institute Project in Ramallah, highlighting youth empowerment and development. He also reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s continued support for UNRWA and humanitarian assistance, particularly in the Gaza Strip.

To expand economic ties, Fawzer briefed Governor Ghannam on Sri Lanka Expo 2027, stressing closer engagement with PalTrade and Palestinian Chambers of Commerce to foster business‑to‑business linkages, tourism and wider market access.

Governor Ghannam expressed appreciation for Sri Lanka’s consistent political and humanitarian solidarity, recalling the historic foundation established during the era of the late President Yasser Arafat. She welcomed deeper cooperation in trade and development for the mutual benefit of both countries.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to advancing cooperation in trade, vocational training, cultural exchanges and people‑to‑people ties, strengthening bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Palestine. (Newswire)