President Maithripala Sirisena has received an invitation from President of Indonesia Joko Widodo, to pay a state visit to Indonesia, immediately after his scheduled participation at the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Summit meeting which is scheduled to be held in Jakarta.

Indonesian President’s special envoy, A. M. Fachir, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, delivered the letter of invitation to President Sirisena at the Presidential Secretariat on February 23.

Accordingly, the Head of State will attend the IORA Summit on March 6 and 7 and pay a state visit to Indonesia on March 8.

In response, President Sirisena said he was looking forward to meet his Indonesian counterpart for discussions on further improving bi-lateral relations and cooperation in trade, investment and tourism.

Upon meeting the President, the special envoy, Fachir stated that Indonesia has already dispatched the first consignment of the rice donation for drought relief,  announced by President Widodo.

President Sirisena said, the Indonesian donation of 5,000 metric tonnes of rice symbolises the strong friendship that exists between Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

• 24,374 people given vaccine for COVID-19 on Sunday (28)
• 07 COVID fatalities on Sunday (28), SL death toll rises to 471
• Dairy farmers in Rambakan Oya crippled due to forest destruction
• Revelation on large scale deforestation at world heritage site, the Knuckles mountain Range
• Nuga tree close to the Crudia Zeylanica tree set ablaze