S’pore committed to assisting Sri Lanka in reconstruction: Shanmugam

SINGAPORE: Minister for Foreign Affairs and Law K Shanmugam says Singapore is committed to strengthening bilateral ties and assisting Sri Lanka as it embarks on reconstruction and genuine national reconciliation.

Mr Shanmugam said this when he met Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Saturday, on the third and final day of his official visit to the country.

Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said that during their meeting, Mr Shanmugam told President Rajapaksa that Singapore was happy to see that peace had returned to Sri Lanka.

He also said that during his visit to Trincomale and Jaffna, he saw the significant progress in physical reconstruction in the areas that he visited.

Mr Shanmugam also said that while reconciliation cannot be imposed from the outside, well—wishers of Sri Lanka, such as Singapore, look forward to an inclusive process that would include addressing the emotive sentiments of people affected by the decade of conflict.

He also reiterated Singapore’s offer of technical assistance, which Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had made during President Rajapaksa’s state visit to Singapore in February this year.

It focuses on areas of human resource development and economic development, which are Sri Lanka’s current priorities.

MFA said President Rajapaksa expressed his appreciation for Singapore’s offer to assist Sri Lanka in its development.

He shared with Mr Shanmugam the ongoing efforts made by the central and provincial governments towards post—conflict development.

These include the restoration of basic infrastructure and services in the worst—affected areas in the northern province of Sri Lanka.

— CNA/cc