Message from the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives
We celebrate today the National Day of France, also called Bastille Day, an expression which refers to the troubled time of the Revolution and the struggle for liberty, equality and fraternity.
This last spring, the people of France opted for a democratic change in power. They first elected François Hollande as the President of the Republic, and then, through general elections, they renewed the National Assembly, providing a new majority to support the President. For the first time, French citizens living abroad had the capacity to elect 11 Members of Parliament to represent them in the National Assembly. After these elections, a new government comprising as many women than men was formed. This is also something which never happened before in the history of my country.
The foreign policy of France is governed by strong values shared by the main political forces of the country. In the policy statement he delivered in the National Assembly on July 3rd, Prime Minister, Jean Marc Ayrault, recalled these values: “respect for human rights, justice, solidarity toward developing countries, strength of our European commitment, support to those who fight for democracy all over the world”. At the end of last month, France was honoured to receive, at President Hollande’s invitation, Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from Burma, and to pay tribute to this extraordinary woman’s battle for human rights and democracy.
France and Sri Lanka have old and friendly relations. A book, launched last month in Colombo, during the French Spring Festival, highlights one forgotten episode of the history of these relations. Under the title “Some notions about the Island of Ceylon”, it presents the scientific studies conducted in the island by a French botanist, Eudelen de Jonville, during the 18th century.
Since my last year’s message, positive developments have been registered in our bilateral relations. In October 2011, External Affairs Minister, Prof GL Peiris, was received in Paris by his French counterpart. One month later, Industry and Commerce Minister, Hon. Rishad Bathiudeen, visited my country. In March 2012, Water Supply and Drainage Minister, Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, attended the World Water Forum in Marseille. Several other delegations of Sri Lankan officials also travelled to France. Last week, for the first time since before the war, a ship from the French Navy was in a port visit in Trincomalee harbour.
Over the past two years, our bilateral trade benefited from the robust economic situation in Sri Lanka and witnessed a strong growth. Despite the economic and financial difficulties France is presently facing, the outlook of our commercial exchanges with Sri Lanka for 2012 remains largely positive. Thanks to the progress in post war reconstruction and development, business environment in the island is becoming more attractive to French investors.
The Government of France is keen to continue its support to the reconstruction of Sri Lanka, particularly in the regions devastated by the war. Since July last year, it provided to the Government of Sri Lanka two concessional loans: 35 M Euros to contribute to the financing of the Jaffna and Kilinochchi Water Supply and Sanitation Project and 22 M Euros for the supply of 46 metallic bridges.
All the people of Sri Lanka suffered tremendously from war and terrorism. They deserve equitably shared peace dividends. Peace dividends are not only roads, water and electricity distribution networks. Concrete and metallic bridges enable indeed communities which had been isolated from each others, to re-establish links, but immaterial bridges between them are also essential to strengthen mutual respect and trust and to create a sense of belonging to the same multiethnic and multicultural nation. Sri Lankan friends in Government and civil society, sharing our conviction that culture and art can be such immaterial bridges, expressed the wish to see France developing cultural activities in their country, particularly toward the youth. I am happy that my Embassy could respond favourably to their suggestion, through the organisation of the first French Spring festival. This festival, which took place last month, provided opportunities for friendly exchanges between artists from Sri Lanka and France, and gathered a large and diverse public. The financial support we received from French and Sri Lankan companies as well as the satisfaction of the artists and the public are strong encouragements to renew the experience next year.
On the occasion of my country’s national day celebration, I extend to the French community in Sri Lanka and to the people of Sri Lanka my greetings and best wishes for a prosperous future and for the further strengthening of our bilateral relations.
Christine Robichon, Ambassador of France to Sri
Lanka and the Maldives.