A meeting of the Heads of State of the Commonwealth of Nations was convened in London on Friday in the presence of King Charles III and President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
During the event, President Wickremesinghe extended his congratulations to King Charles III on the eve of his Coronation and engaged in a cordial conversation. First Lady Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe was also in attendance.
 Prince William pledges allegiance to his father, the newly crowned King Charles III following the Coronation ceremony at Westminster Abbey in London yesterday. (Picture: BBC) |
During the gathering, President Wickremesinghe emphasised the importance of the Commonwealth playing a more significant role in supporting education reforms that encourage youth involvement. He also called on the Commonwealth to bolster connectivity via digitisation.
President Wickremesinghe held a bilateral meeting with the President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to discuss ways of strengthening relations between their countries.
President Wickremesinghe also met Rwandan President Paul Kagame in London to discuss potential areas of cooperation between the two countries.
The meeting was held on Friday and both Presidents expressed their interest in exploring opportunities for collaboration, particularly in the agriculture and healthcare sectors. President Wickremesinghe proposed an exchange of visits by the relevant ministers, which would enable officials from both countries to explore potential avenues for cooperation.
The two leaders also discussed the possibility of further military cooperation, with President Wickremesinghe offering to provide training by Sri Lanka’s Defence Forces for rapid responses to natural disasters in Rwanda.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to London, Saroja Sirisena and the President’s Director of International Affairs, Dinouk Colombage were also present.
Prof. Maithree Wickremesinghe participated in the Fireside Chat program, which was organised as a parallel event to the Leaders’ Meeting. The Fireside Chat program provided a platform for discussions on various topics and issues related to the Commonwealth and its members.