ANKARA : Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment of Sri Lanka, Arun Hemachandra, who is on a two-day official visit to Ankara, commenced his programme with a bilateral meeting with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye, Berris Ekinci, at the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on 27 October 2026.
The visit marks the first ever official visit to Ankara by a Sri Lankan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and represents an important step towards further strengthening the longstanding friendship and bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Türkiye.
During the meeting, the two Deputy Ministers exchanged views on further advancing bilateral relations, with particular emphasis on strengthening political dialogue, facilitating high-level exchanges and expanding cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
The Deputy Minister was accompanied to the meeting by the Ambassador and the senior officials of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ankara.
During the visit, Deputy Minister Hemachandra is scheduled to sign two bilateral instruments: the Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation between Sri Lanka and Türkiye and the Protocol Amending the Air Transport Agreement between Sri Lanka and Türkiye. These instruments are expected to further strengthen the institutional framework for bilateral cooperation and create new opportunities for collaboration in the respective sectors.
The Deputy Minister’s official programme also includes bilateral meetings with the Deputy Ministers of Labour and Social Security, Trade, and Culture and Tourism of Türkiye, focusing on expanding cooperation in the areas of employment, trade, investment and tourism.
Deputy Minister Hemachandra is scheduled to meet the President of the Ankara Chamber of Commerce as well to explore opportunities for strengthening commercial and business linkages between the two countries.
The visit reflects the shared commitment of Sri Lanka and Türkiye to further consolidating their longstanding bilateral relations and advancing a more substantive, results-oriented and mutually beneficial partnership.
