Courtesy Gives Way to Continuity as the Netherlands Reaffirms Support

What commenced as a formal courtesy call evolved into a forward-looking exchange when His Excellency the Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Sri Lanka, Mr. Wiebe de Boer, met Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd) at his office in Colombo on 26 January.

The engagement, conducted in a spirit of mutual respect and goodwill, focused on matters of shared interest while taking stock of the longstanding and constructive bilateral relationship between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

On behalf of His Excellency the President and the people of Sri Lanka, the Deputy Minister conveyed sincere appreciation for the steadfast support extended by the Netherlands, in coordination with the European Union, during and in the aftermath of Sri Lanka’s recent disaster situation. He also acknowledged the Netherlands’ valuable assistance to the Design and Construction of Rural Bridges Project, a key national initiative aimed at strengthening rural connectivity, enhancing livelihoods, and improving quality of life across the island.

Commending Sri Lanka’s recovery progress following recent calamities, the Ambassador reaffirmed the Netherlands’ continued readiness to share expertise and knowledge, particularly in the area of disaster risk reduction, in line with Sri Lanka’s core development priorities.

Both sides expressed confidence in the continued strengthening of cooperation and reiterated their commitment to sustaining close and friendly relations in the years ahead.