COLOMBO, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka should regain its economic prominence in Egypt, Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Ariyasinha was quoted as saying in a statement released by the Ministry of Foreign Relations on Monday.
Delivering an address at the Inaugural Session of the Bilateral Political Consultations between Sri Lanka and Egypt at the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in Cairo earlier this week, Ariyasinha noted that Sri Lanka would revitalize its foreign policy in order to enhance cooperation with the African Union, where Sri Lanka gained Observer Status in 2014, the statement said.
Both sides mutually agreed to revive the Egypt-Sri Lanka Business Council which was founded in 2004, and to reconvene the Joint Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation which last met in 2002.
Further discussions included prospects for broad cooperation in the fields of defense, agriculture, healthcare, education, tourism and other sectors.
Sri Lanka and Egypt enjoy deep trade ties with Sri Lanka providing 5 percent of Egypt's tea through premium brands. Egypt is also Sri Lanka's largest market for desiccated coconut and a buyer of Sri Lankan rubber, leather, spices, coir, confectioneries, cocoa, porcelain and ceramic ware.
The consultation was attended by Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Egypt Damayanthie Rajapaksa and Egypt's Assistant Foreign Minister for Asia Hany Selim.
