Vice President for the South Asia Region of the World Bank Martin Raiser paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya at the Parliament of Sri Lanka to discuss the country’s key development priorities. 

The meeting centered on education, gender equality, and regional inclusivity, highlighting the needs to address national challenges and drive sustainable progress, the Prime Minister’s office said.

A major focus of the discussion was enhancing access to quality education, particularly through the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) sector. Both parties emphasized the importance of aligning TVET with mainstream education to create diverse career pathways for students, it added.

Another critical topic was gender equality in the workforce. Both parties recognized the need for policy interventions and support systems to enhance women’s inclusion in economic activities.

The discussion reinforced the mutual commitment of Sri Lanka and the World Bank to collaborate on sustainable solutions that enhance education, gender equity, and regional development.

The meeting was attended by senior officials from the World Bank, including David Sislen, Regional Country Director for Nepal, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, along with senior Sri Lankan government representatives, including Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Sagarika Bogahawatta, Additional Secretary to the Prime Minister, Samantha Bandara, Director General of the Department of External Resources, Dharshana M. Perera, Senior Director-General for Economic Affairs (Bilateral) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Lashinka Dammullage, Director of the Southeast Asia & Central Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.