Pakistan has agreed to send 40,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer to Sri Lanka immediately, President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said.
President Sirisena said that he immediately contacted Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, following concerns raised on the scarcity of fertiliser in the country and requested assistance to find an immediate solution to the matter. “I have now received information that the Pakistani government has responded positively to my request. Accordingly, 40,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser will soon reach Sri Lanka,” President Sirisena said.
President Sirisena was speaking at a ceremony held at the Sugathadasa Stadium with the participation of Local Government election candidates of the United People’s Freedom Alliance.
President Sirisena further said, “Some groups ask me as to what I did during the last three years. There was a recent temporary ban on our tea imposed by Russia. I requested Russian President Vladimir Putin in writing to look into the matter. He responded immediately and lifted the ban.
“This is the kind of international relationship that we have developed in last few years,” the President said.
“I participated in a conference held in Qatar recently where several Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the two countries. Within 24 hours following my visit, a group of Qatari representatives visited Sri Lanka,” President Sirisena said. “The Qatari government has informed me of their willingness to fund the development of any city in Sri Lanka.
They have requested us to name any city in Sri Lanka for them to implement the development project. This is the kind of international cooperation we have developed in the last few years. There is a whole list of similar offers of assistance from countries around the globe for Sri Lankan government,” President Sirisena pointed out. The UPFA candidates competing at the next Local Government election made the Pledge for Freedom for Good Governance free of fraud and corruption at the ceremony as well.