Sri Lanka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Benin on visa exemptions for diplomatic, official and service passport holders.As per the MoU, the visa exemptions allow for a 30-day stay without a prior visa for the aforementioned categories, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.The agreement was signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, and his Beninese counterpart Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.Bilateral discussions were held on Friday (19 Jan.) between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Vice President of the Republic of Benin Mariam Chabi Talata, on the side lines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda.Diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Benin, established in 2012, took centre stage of the discussions, with a focus on advancing economic and trade connections.Vice President Talata identified the Republic of Benin as a notable cotton exporter and highlighted investment opportunities for the Sri Lankan apparel industry in Republic of Benin’s cotton industry encouraging President Wickremesinghe to guide Sri Lankan investors in that direction.Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe also invited the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Benin, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, to visit Sri Lanka soon, exploring new economic possibilities and elevating bilateral relations.Officials present included President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, President’s Senior Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardena, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardena and President’s Director of International Affairs Dinouk Colombage.In a parallel development, President Wickremesinghe held discussions with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed on Friday, during the NAM Summit.Commending President Wickremesinghe on Sri Lanka’s swift economic recovery, Prime Minister Ahmed engaged in talks with the Sri Lankan leader on advancing economic relations between the two countries.

The discussions encompassed topics such as renewable energy, agriculture and the garment industry, along with exploring potential areas for new investments.

Sri Lanka signs MoU with Benin on visa exemptionsSri Lanka has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Republic of Benin on visa exemptions for diplomatic, official and service passport holders.As per the MoU, the visa exemptions allow for a 30-day stay without a prior visa for the aforementioned categories, the President’s Media Division (PMD) reported.The agreement was signed by Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry, and his Beninese counterpart Olushegun Adjadi Bakari.Bilateral discussions were held on Friday (19 Jan.) between President Ranil Wickremesinghe and Vice President of the Republic of Benin Mariam Chabi Talata, on the side lines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Kampala, Uganda.Diplomatic ties between Sri Lanka and the Republic of Benin, established in 2012, took centre stage of the discussions, with a focus on advancing economic and trade connections.Vice President Talata identified the Republic of Benin as a notable cotton exporter and highlighted investment opportunities for the Sri Lankan apparel industry in Republic of Benin’s cotton industry encouraging President Wickremesinghe to guide Sri Lankan investors in that direction.Meanwhile, President Wickremesinghe also invited the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Benin, Olushegun Adjadi Bakari, to visit Sri Lanka soon, exploring new economic possibilities and elevating bilateral relations.Officials present included President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake, President’s Senior Adviser on Climate Change Ruwan Wijewardena, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardena and President’s Director of International Affairs Dinouk Colombage.In a parallel development, President Wickremesinghe held discussions with Prime Minister of Ethiopia Abiy Ahmed on Friday, during the NAM Summit.Commending President Wickremesinghe on Sri Lanka’s swift economic recovery, Prime Minister Ahmed engaged in talks with the Sri Lankan leader on advancing economic relations between the two countries.

The discussions encompassed topics such as renewable energy, agriculture and the garment industry, along with exploring potential areas for new investments.