VIENNA ; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka, Arun Hemachandra participated at the High-level commemorative meeting marking the 65th Anniversary of the First Conference of the Non- Aligned Countries (NAM) from 30 August – 02 September 2026 in Belgrade, Republic of Serbia.
Addressing the Conference, Deputy Minister Hemachandra said that Sri Lanka, as a founding member of the Non-Aligned Movement, continues to stand firmly for peace, sovereignty, equality and the collective voice of developing nations. Further, under the leadership of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, Sri Lanka continues to pursue an independent and principled foreign policy based on constructive engagement with all countries, respect for sovereignty, multilateralism and peaceful coexistence.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra emphasized the importance of solidarity among nations during conflicts, humanitarian emergencies, natural disasters and economic crises, while calling for stronger representation of developing countries in global institutions and a fairer international financial system. He further said that Sri Lanka remains committed to strengthening the collective voice of developing nations and advancing peace, solidarity and cooperation through the Non-Aligned Movement while highlighting that the Non-Aligned Movement must continue to serve as a platform for practical cooperation, timely assistance and mutual support among member states and the wider international community.
As part of his official engagement, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Hemachandra held a bilateral meeting with his Serbian counterpart, State Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Serbia Damjan Jović at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia. A fruitful discussion was held on matters of mutual interest aimed at strengthening the existing bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and Serbia, with particular focus on convening bilateral political consultations.
Meeting the State Secretary of Economy of Serbia, Andrijana Jovanović, Deputy Minister Hemachandra held talks on strengthening economic cooperation between Sri Lanka and Serbia.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra engaged with the State Secretary of Labour, Employment, Welfare and Social Affairs of Serbia, Djordje Todorov, to explore avenues for increasing employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in the Serbian job market, establishing an appropriate system for sending Sri Lankan workers to Serbia, and ensuring job security for existing Sri Lankan workers.
In his meeting with the Minister of Domestic and Foreign Trade of Serbia, Jagoda Lazarević, Deputy Minister Hemachandra examined proposals to establish a Joint Economic Commission between the two countries to further strengthen economic cooperation.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra also held a meeting with the Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia, Mihailo Vesović, to further explore possibilities for promoting Sri Lankan products in the Serbian market. He also extended an invitation to the Chamber of Commerce of Serbia to participate in the Sri Lanka EXPO 2027, to be held in Colombo from 14 to 17 January 2027, with a business delegation.
On the sidelines of the NAM meeting, Deputy Minister Hemachandra held bilateral meetings with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Angola and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia.
Members of overseas Sri Lankan community and those who are employers in Serbia met the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment during his visit in Belgrade
