Marapana leads Lankan delegation at 25th ASEAN Regional Forum

Foreign Affairs Minister Tilak Marapana led the Sri Lanka delegation at the 25th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting held on 4 August in Singapore.

Inaugurated in 1994 in Thailand, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is the principal forum for security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region which seeks to promote regional development and prosperity while recognising challenges to regional peace, security and prosperity.

Delivering Sri Lanka’s statement at the forum, Foreign Minister Marapana highlighted the important areas of cooperation for Sri Lanka, including maritime security, disaster management, defence-related confidence building measures and preventive diplomacy, and for sustaining the growing economic dynamism and prosperity of the region. The Foreign Minister also welcomed the steady advancement in the areas of cooperation in the ARF and unreservedly supported the process.

Foreign Minister Marapana held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ARF with the Foreign Affairs Ministers of Brunei, Lao PDR and Cambodia, and discussed areas of mutual interest.

The Sri Lanka delegation included the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Singapore and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.