New President elected to Sri Lanka–Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Association

Minister of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, A.H.M.H. Abayarathna, has been appointed as the President of the Sri Lanka–Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Association for the Tenth Parliament of Sri Lanka. Deputy Minister Muneer Mulaffer was elected as the Secretary, while Member of Parliament Ambika Samivel was elected as the Treasurer of the Association, during the revival meeting of the Sri Lanka–Egypt Parliamentary Friendship Association held on Tuesday (07) at the Parliament of Sri Lanka under the patronage of the Speaker, Jagath Wickramaratne. Delivering the welcome address, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne emphasized that Parliamentary Friendship Associations play a vital role in strengthening bilateral relations through Parliamentary diplomacy by providing Members of Parliament with a valuable platform to engage with their counterparts, exchange experiences, and enhance cooperation between the two countries. The Speaker further noted that Sri Lanka and Egypt have enjoyed longstanding and cordial relations founded on mutual respect, friendship and cooperation, expressing confidence that the revived Association would serve as an effective mechanism for strengthening Parliamentary ties and exploring new avenues of cooperation in areas of mutual interest. Addressing the gathering, Ambassador of the Arab Republic of Egypt to Sri Lanka, Adel Ibrahim, highlighted the longstanding friendship between Sri Lanka and Egypt and emphasized the importance of further enhancing bilateral cooperation across a wide range of sectors, including political, economic, cultural, educational and tourism exchanges. He expressed confidence that the Parliamentary Friendship Association would make a meaningful contribution towards further strengthening the relations between the two countries. According to a Parliament statement, prior to the meeting, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne and Ambassador Adel Ibrahim held a cordial discussion at the Speaker’s official chamber, where they exchanged views on further enhancing the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Sri Lanka and Egypt. (Newswire)