The civil war with the Tamils placed a heavy burden on Sri Lanka, the German Chancellor said. “Efforts are now being made to shape reconciliation in such a way that it is irreversible and sustainable,” she said at her joint press conference with President Sirisena of Sri Lanka.

That is why the Federal Government has offered its help in providing the know-how to set this process of reconciliation in motion and lay the foundations so that the various population groups in Sri Lanka can live together peacefully.

Stepping up development cooperation

Sri Lanka is a popular destination for German holiday-makers, said Chancellor Merkel. “We want to focus our development cooperation on vocational training, specifically in the hotel industry.” There were already plans to establish a school of hotel management, she added.

President Sirisena thanked the German Chancellor and the German Government for the long-standing and generous support in the field of development cooperation. He asked that this support continue in the future.

The Sri Lankan Government was making efforts to identify new opportunities for diversifying these long-standing relations and cooperation with Germany, he added. Germany’s contribution to promoting vocational training in Sri Lanka was an excellent example of successful cooperation.

The German Chancellor and the Sri Lankan President also exchanged views on the process of political restructuring that is underway in Sri Lanka, particularly in regard to constitutional reform, conflict transformation and economic cooperation initiatives.

Stimulating economic relations

There are plans for a German trade delegation to visit Sri Lanka in the near future. “Our aim will be to drive forward German-Sri Lankan cooperation in various areas, including the energy sector, industrial production, hydroelectric power and renewable energies,” Merkel emphasised.

In light of the positive developments in Sri Lanka, it may be possible to look into whether special preferences could again be granted in the textiles industry, since these were so important to the country, said Merkel.

The Chancellor also announced that a health conference would be taking place at which a workshop specifically for treating a particular chronic kidney disease that is prevalent in Sri Lanka could be established. “The causes of this disease need to be investigated, as well as how more environmentally sound methods in agriculture and drinking water production can be put in place to ensure that people do not succumb to the disease,” she added.

President Sirisena invited German investors to make use of the opportunities available for engaging in economic cooperation in his country, especially joint ventures. “We would like to expand cooperation to cover new fields such as the natural sciences, technology, sustainable development, the energy sector and higher education,” he went on.

Focus on international issues

The two leaders also addressed Sri Lanka’s regional setting, including relations with India, which are historically very close, the special relationship with China on account of the two countries’ geographical location, and relations with the Maldives. The Chancellor said that they also discussed the global threats from Islamist terrorism.

President Sirisena was accompanied on his first official visit to Germany by a high-level trade delegation and five ministers. The visit also includes a reception hosted by President Joachim Gauck and meetings with Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Development Minister Gerd Müller.

Germany and Sri Lanka established diplomatic relations over 60 years ago. Many German institutions are active in Sri Lanka. In 2014 Germany’s volume of bilateral trade with Sri Lanka amounted to 699.5 million euros. German imports from Sri Lanka include, in particular, textiles, rubber and tea, and exports primarily include machines, electrical engineering and chemical products, and automobiles. Germany is one of Sri Lanka’s most important partners in the tourism sector.