China and Sri Lanka to further strengthen ties in economic, trade & investment and cultural fields

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said there is vast potential for further expanding economic cooperation between China and Sri Lanka. “Sri Lanka highly value China’s continuous support to Sri Lanka,” he said when Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Special Envoy and State Councilor, Shen Yiqin met him at the Temple Trees Office in Colombo today (November 20).

The Prime Minister, thanking China for the assistance provided to Sri Lanka to restore economy after the recent debt crisis, added that Sri Lanka would welcome public and private investments from China as well as investments in agriculture for production and export, renewable energy, IT, education and infrastructure development to provide long term solutions to econo MORE >>

Vietnam to share its innovative investment attraction expertise with Sri Lanka

Vietnam will provide its expertise on foreign investment promotion and attraction to Sri Lanka to draft the proposed new Investment Bill. This was stated by a high-level delegation headed by Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee Member Dr. Bui Van Nghiem when they called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo today (November 17).

The Prime Minister congratulated Vietnam for the success of rapid economic development after gaining independence after a valiant freedom struggle. He praised the innovative methods adopted by Vietnam to successfully attract foreign investments and requested to share its experience with as Sri Lanka is planning to formulate a new Foreign Investment Bill shortly.
 MORE >>

The tenth commemoration of Mr R.I.T. Alles

Release of Sinhala and Tamil translation of the autobiography of Mr R I T Alles, ’My Path’ (Mage mangpetha), which unfolds events of his life was presented to newly appointed school principals and teachers. MORE >>

Prime Minister urges new Sri Lankan envoys to take new initiatives to attract investments

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena asked the Sri Lankan envoys to focus mainly on economic diplomacy as the country needs the cooperation of other countries for rapid economic progress of the country.

Addressing the 10 newly appointed Sri Lankan envoys at the Temple Trees today (Nov 13), he urged them to showcase Sri Lanka’s ability to interact with the rest of the world, take new initiatives to attract investments and joint ventures.

Our focus is to increase trade and investments. While engaging with host governments and premier business houses, leading investors and chambers of commerce and industry, you have to promote Sri Lanka as an attractive destination, not merely as a tourist destination but mainl MORE >>

Deepavali Message

Hindu devotees all over the world celebrate Deepavali with great devotion and enthusiasm to mark the victory of light over spiritual darkness by lighting lamps.

The best way to display the spirit of Deepavali is to join hands for the betterment of the society and overcome the contemporary challenges faced by the country.On the day of Deepavali let us strive together for spiritual achievements while wishing for peace and prosperity by making Deepavali truly meaningful by symbolizing, “victory of light over spiritual darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”.

Dinesh Gunawardena (M.P.)
Prime Minister
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka MORE >>

’සීතාවක හටන’ අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතාට පිළිගන්වයි

සිංහල ප්‍රශස්ති හා හටන් කාව්‍ය යටතේ මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල මගින් ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කළ ’සීතාවක හටන’ කෘතිය අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා වෙත, මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජෙනරාල් මහාචාර්ය ගාමිණී රණසිංහ මහතා විසින් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ අගමැති කාර්යාලයේදී 2023.11.10 දින පිළිගන්වනු ලැබි MORE >>

The latest lottery of Development Lotteries Board, to Prime Minister

Latest lottery of Development Lotteries Board, “Supiri Dhana Sampatha”, was presented to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament on 09.11.2023.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board /CEO Ajith Gunaratne Naragala, General Manager Anura Jayaratne, Deputy General Managers Vijitha Somaratne and Chanaka Dodangoda participated in this event. MORE >>

The eighth commemoration ceremony of Ven. Maduluawe Sobitha Thero was held under the patronage of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at Sri Naga Vihara, Kotte (2023.11.08).

This commemoration ceremony was organised by Ven. Kotahene Narada Thero and Maha Sangha including Ven. Malwane Pannasara thero, Chief Incumbent of Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of Maha Vihara Vansika Shyamopali Maha Vihara, Ven. Murutthettuve Ananda thero, Chief Sanghanayaka of Western Province, Ven. Vathuruwila Sujatha thero, and former President Maithripala Sirisena, Parliamentarians Yadamini Gunawardena and Jagath Kumara, and a group including devotees participated in this event.

Prime Minister’s Media Division MORE >>

Portugal to explore possibility of enhancing trade and tourism with Sri Lanka

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held a discussion with Portuguese Ambassador Joao Manuel Mendes de Almeida on further strengthening ties between the two countries when the latter called on him at the Temple Trees on November 6.

The Prime Minister urged Portugal to consider promoting Sri Lanka as a favourable tourist destination in Portugal by introducing a programme similar to the ’Voyage to the East in the 19th Century, tracing the history from Lisbon to Goa’. He said such a promotion could be extended from Lisbon to Galle in Sri Lanka to attract tourists.

Ambassador de Almeida, recalling his visit to Galle as a tourist 20 years ago, said Sri Lanka has immense potential to attract Portuguese tour MORE >>

Prime Minister thanks Venezuela for support extended at UNHRC

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena expressed gratitude to Venezuela for consistent support extended to Sri Lanka at UNHRC and other international forums. He said this when Venezuela Ambassador Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez called on him at the Temple Trees on Monday (November 6).

Ambassador Ms Gonzalez said that some affluent countries have double standards while dealing with developing countries like Sri Lanka and Venezuela and stressed the need to jointly face such interference in sovereign nations.

The Prime Minister said Sri Lankan youth have great interest now in learning foreign languages and requested Venezuela to introduce an academic exchange programme so that Sri Lankan universities could obtain Spanish la MORE >>

Prime Minister calls for Iranian investments in energy sector

New Ambassador of Iran Alireza Delkhosh paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (November 6).

The Ambassador referring to the friendship and close sociocultural ties between the two countries since ancient times, assured that he would work for further expansion of economic and cultural relationship between Iran and Sri Lanka during his diplomatic tenure.

The Prime Minister said Iran has the opportunities now to invest in new sectors such as agriculture and industrial sectors in addition to energy sector. He also thanked Iran for the support and assistance provided to Sri Lanka for the development work as well as to help early recovery from current economic problems.< MORE >>

No one living today has seen the pain and suffering experienced by the estate community of Indian origin. - Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena

The ’Nam 200’ (We 200) celebration organized to mark the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Indian Origin Tamil (IOT) community was held on 02. 11.2023, under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Indian Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman also participated in this event and was welcomed by more than 5000 Tamil people from the upcountry. The festival consisted of various cultural elements.

The inauguration of the project to build 10,000 houses under Indian aid in the lower part of Dimbula, Kotagala, Mount Vernon estate and the opening of a new auditorium and a computer unit at the Hatton Vo MORE >>

India appreciates Premier Gunawardena’s unstinted efforts to promote Indo-Lanka friendship and cooperation – Nirmala Sitharaman

Indian Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees on 2nd of November 2023. The Prime Minister thanked India for the allocation of Indian Rs 824 million under the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the visit of the Finance Minister for solar electrification of religious places out of the Indian grant assistance of Indian Rs 1.0747 billion earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.

Indian Finance Minister said India highly appreciates Prime Minister Gunawardena’s unstinted efforts to promote Indo-Lanka friendship and cooperation. “Decades ago when we fighting for our independence, your parents associated in Indian freedom struggle and now as Prime Mi MORE >>

The issue of the ownership of the land should be settled for the cultivation - Prime Minister.

The Prime Minister stated that the issues with regard to the ownership of the land should be settled for the cultivation at the Vavuniya District Food Security Program held today (2023.11.01) at the Vavuniya District Secretariat, in conjunction with the New Village - New Country National Programme.

Speaking on this occasion the Prime Minister further said that-

One of the issues prevailing in the Vavuniya District is the land issue. The second problem is the issues that have arisen for a long time due to conflict with the Forest Conservation Department and forest conservation rules and regulations. When I presented the project of Vavuniya Water Scheme as the Minister of Water Supply, one department after anot MORE >>

The Vavuniya Town Council has been upgraded as a Municipal Council in accordance with the Gazette No 2296/05 dated 6th September 2022 of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena opened the Website of the Vavuniya Municipal Council. A digital service to facilitate the public was also introduced on this occasion. Governor of North S P Charles, State Ministers Janaka Wakkumbura, Ashoka Priyantha, Kader Mastana, MPs Kulasingham Dilibaran, Yadamini Gunawardena, Commissioner of Northern Province, senior officials and the public were present on this occasion. MORE >>