French Envoy Meets Deputy Minister of Defence to Strengthen Bilateral Cooperation

The Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka H.E. Rémi Lambert accompanied by his delegation met with the Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), yesterday (Sep 22). The meeting served as a progressive step towards further strengthening defence cooperation between the two nations.

During the discussions, both parties focused on a range of areas aimed at enhancing bilateral collaboration. The French Ambassador conveyed his government's readiness to extend support under the defence cooperation framework through several key initiatives.

These include providing expert assistance in defence reforms, offering specialized training for Sri Lankan peacekeepers, particularly with the inclusion of French language courses, disaster management and providing mitigation facilities, supporting the development of early warning systems for the Department of Meteorology and conducting crisis management training through joint programs.

A special emphasis was placed on the Regional Centre for Maritime Studies (RCMS) at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU), which was established under a bilateral agreement between Sri Lanka and France. The RCMS has already emerged as a vital institution offering specialized training programs tailored for both civil and military professionals in the region.

The meeting underscored the shared commitment of Sri Lanka and France to promote peace, maritime security and professional development, thereby reinforcing the long-standing partnership between the two countries.