Sri Lanka defense minister visits Uganda

By Abou Kisige

The Defense minister of the Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, Gotabaya Rajabaksa, has jetted into the country to promote bilateral security among both nations.

Rajabaksa was received by Uganda’s State minister of Defense, General Jeje Odong at Entebbe Airport on Friday.

The Sri Lankan High Commissioner to Uganda, Vellupillai Kananathan, said the defense minister is here on a working state visit and would spend five days in Uganda.

“The minister will have a chance to meet with President Museveni, and the Commander of Defense Forces to discuss defense issues and also meet a technical team from the ministry of defense,” Kananathan said.

He said Rajabaksa will also visit Murchison falls national park and Lugazi Sugar Corporation to promote cooperation in sugar production. Sri Lanka is a leading sugar producer.

Kananathan said there were a number of Sri Lanka investors in Uganda and more have showed interest in coming.

Last November Museveni visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of his counterpart, Mahinda Rajapaksa and during the visit Sri Lanka agreed to refurbish Masulita Vocational Training Center in Kakiri.

Sri Lanka has per capita income US$2,877 compared to that of Uganda of US$500. The main economic sectors of the country are tourism, tea export, clothing, rice production and other agricultural products.

In addition to these economic sectors, overseas employment contributes highly in foreign exchange.

Sri Lanka is an island in the northern Indian Ocean off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent in South Asia.

Known until 1972 as Ceylon, Sri Lanka has maritime borders with India to the northwest and the Maldives to the southwest.

Sri Lanka has been called ‘’the tear drop of India’’ because of its shape and location and is known as "The Pearl of the Indian Ocean" because of its natural beauty. It is also known as "The nation of smiling people".

The island contains tropical forests, and diverse landscapes with high biodiversity