During a meeting on Friday, Macron reaffirmed France’s willingness and commitment to assisting Sri Lanka in its economic recovery, a statement issued by the President’s Office in Colombo said.

The French president also pledged his country’s assistance in the debt restructuring process of Sri Lanka, which went through an unprecedented financial crisis in 2022 due to a severe shortage in foreign exchange reserves.

Wickremesinghe and Macron also explored ways to strengthen cooperation in other sectors, including politics, tourism, climate change, sustainable development, and maritime activities.

They also agreed to establish a maritime safety school, open a permanent office of the French Development Agency in Sri Lanka, and initiate high-level diplomatic talks and cooperation in the educational sector.

Macron expressed France’s keen interest in working with Sri Lanka during its upcoming presidency of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), of which France is a member.

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