Pretoria - South Africa and Sri Lanka are to deepen their relations when International Relations and Cooperation Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane hosts that country's External Affairs Minister, Gamini Lakshman Peiris for talks in Pretoria on Monday.
The Department of International Relations and Cooperation said today that Peiris was expected to brief Nkoana-Mashabane on political, economic and social developments in Sri Lanka.
Nkoana-Mashabane visited Sri Lanka together with former Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Roy Padayachie in October 2009, and this was followed by a visit to Sri Lanka in November 2011, by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ebrahim Ebrahim.
Three Partnership Forum Meetings between the two countries have already been held with
bilateral economic relations expected to be discussed at Monday's meeting.
Bilateral trade between Sri Lanka and South Africa has seen a steady increase in growth in both exports and imports. In the period January to December 2011, South Africa's exports to Sri Lanka amounted to R268 million and imports from Sri Lanka amounted to R194 million.
The South African private sector is also becoming involved in Sri Lanka's expanding economy. The announcement of a US$ 800 million investment from Sun International in a new hotel venture in Sri Lanka is testimony to this.
