President Ranil Wickremesinghe has returned to the island this morning (June 26), after completing the official visits to the UK and France, Ada Derana reporter said.

On June 18, President Wickremesinghe left the island for the United Kingdom (UK) and France on an official visit, accompanied by a delegation of top-level officials, on the invitation of his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron to address a high-level panel discussion in Paris at the Global Leaders’ Summit for a New Global Financing Pact.

Attending the summit at the Palais Brongniart in Paris, the Head of the State discussed Sri Lanka’s experience with debt restructuring and the need for a comprehensive approach to address the challenges faced by middle-income nations.

Wickremesinghe also emphasized the need for timely and automatic access to concessional financing and highlighted the high costs incurred during the process, calling for improved interaction between creditors and debtors and suggesting a new approach to address geopolitical issues.

President Wickremesinghe, who also took part in the 40th-anniversary event of the International Democrat Union (IDU) in London, expressed his confidence that substantial headway will be achieved by 2024. 

The President who called on the Commonwealth Secretary-General, Patricia Scotland during his official visit to the United Kingdom, held discussions focused on the digitization programs, measures to broaden the Commonwealth’s partnerships, as well as Commonwealth programs such as Commonwealth for Climate and Blue Charter to enhance support to member countries.

Sharing his strategies for addressing climate change, Sri Lankan president also explored the potential involvement of the Commonwealth in these efforts.