Egypt and Sri Lanka have always enjoyed excellent relations throughout history and across governments. Egyptians and Sri Lankans have a rich exchange of valuable goods and exchanged cultural, religious, and humanitarian practices for centuries. Seven prominent Egyptian army officers and nationalist leaders exiled to Sri Lanka in 1883 with their families, were warmly welcomed by the Sri Lankan people.
Today, Egypt and Sri Lanka enjoy a robust partnership, encompassing numerous agreements and memoranda of understanding across various sectors. These agreements cover trade, investment, tourism, culture, arts, agriculture, civil aviation, political consultation, and security cooperation. The Egyptian International Center for Agriculture provides regular training programs for Sri Lankan cadres, while Egypt’s leading educational institutions welcome Sri Lankan students on fully paid scholarships. More effort is currently being undertaken on both sides to upgrade our contractual framework, including in the fields of visa facilitation, judicial, and legal cooperation, export promotion, diplomatic training, maritime transport, youth, and sports, education, and avoidance of double taxation.
During and after the COVID-19 pandemic, both countries showed much resilience in foreign trade and were able to facilitate the bilateral flow of commercial goods with significant success, as well as operate direct cargo flights between both capitals for the first time since the 1970s. Sri Lankan investors have shown a keen interest in Egypt, drawn to its numerous advantages. Mutual tourism is also witnessing a significant revival with the facilitation of visa procedures on both sides. The future holds tremendous opportunities in all aspects of economic cooperation between both countries.
Human interaction and cultural exchanges are the essence of bilateral relations between
nations. Sri Lankans and Egyptians have been bound by arts, music, literature, and architecture
for centuries. Evidence suggests mutual influences between ancient civilizations in both
nations from the dawn of recorded history
Orabi Pasha in Sri Lanka (10/01/1882 – 17/09/1901)
This shared history is visible in the landmarks that stand today, such as the Orabi Pasha Cultural Center in Kandy, Zahira College, and Orabi Pasha Mawatha in Colombo. These symbols serve as a testament to the
enduring legacy of cooperation and friendship. In modern times, people-to-people relations have materialized and intensified further as Egyptian and Sri Lankan youth are interacting in so
many aspects and occasions. Sri Lankan folk dance and chanting troupes have participated in several arts festivals in Egypt It is also worth mentioning that Sri Lankan filmmakers have featured prominently in
Egyptian film festivals for more than four decades. The Best Third World Film Prize at the third edition of the Cairo International Film Festival in 1978 was awarded to the late Dr Lester James Peries for his film ‘Ahasin
Polowata’. In 2006, Sri Lankan filmmaker Prasanna Jayakody won the ‘Silver Pyramid Award’ for the best film director in the thirtieth edition of the Cairo International Film Festival. Another platform that provides a unique opportunity for Sri Lankan and Egyptian youth to interact and share experiences is the World Youth Forum, organized annually since 2017 in the Red Sea resort city of Sharm El-Sheikh, under the auspices of
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.
Combatting extremism and terrorism is another common challenge and significant aspect of cooperation and
coordination between Egypt and Sri Lanka. Both countries lost leaders in treacherous terrorist acts and have been confronting extremist groups for decades. Enhancing tolerance and mutual understanding among various ethnic and religious communities within the notion of “human fraternity” is of utmost importance to both nations. In this regard, Egypt’s prominent religious and cultural institutions like Al-Azhar, the Coptic Orthodox Church, and Bibliotheca Alexandrina assume active roles in promoting peace, tolerance, dialogue, and mutual understanding across the world. Cooperation with Sri Lanka in this field is high on the agenda.
The evolving relationship between Egypt and Sri Lanka is a testament to the power of diplomacy and mutual cooperation.
By building on historical and cultural ties, these two nations have managed to forge a path of collaboration that extends beyond their respective borders. The strengthening of Sri Lanka’s relations with Egypt bolsters bilateral trade and investment and opens doors for Sri Lanka to deepen its engagement with the African continent. As both nations continue to explore opportunities for cooperation, the prospects for a stronger and more vibrant partnership between Egypt and Sri Lanka appear promising, ushering in a new era of shared progress and prosperity. I hereby confidently state that our longstanding bilateral relations are on the right track. Meanwhile, we will not spare any effort to enhance those relations and carry them out to wider
horizons for the benefit of our countries and peoples.
