French President Emmanuel Macron held discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart on July 29 on an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region in the first-ever visit by a French leader to the Indian Ocean island nation.
As the fourth-largest creditor to Sri Lanka, France had pledged to cooperate in debt restructuring to help the island nation recover from its economic crisis.
Post his trip to South Pacific region, Macron arrived in Sri Lanka on July 28, to mark the 75th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two nations, as said by Sri Lanka’s President’s office.
Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised France’s significant role in global matters such as climate change and restructuring global debt and also the matters related to the Indo-Pacific region, the statement read.
After his meeting, Macron tweeted, “Sri Lanka and France are two Indian Ocean nations that share the same goal: an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific.” He added that they have strengthened their diplomatic relations of 75 years and now can open a “new era of [their] partnership.”