Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — In Colombo, Sri Lankan Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya received a delegation of foreign ambassadors who recently presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. Among them was Alisher Tukhtaev, Uzbekistan’s first ambassador to Sri Lanka, Dunyo news agency reports.

Congratulating the Uzbek diplomat on the start of his mission, Harini Amarasuriya emphasized the importance of Uzbekistan as a key partner in Central Asia and expressed readiness to develop an intensive and constructive dialogue at all levels.

The head of government praised the reforms underway in Uzbekistan, highlighting progress in digitalization, public administration modernization, education, and investment in human capital.

As she also heads Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Higher and Vocational Education, the Prime Minister proposed expanding cooperation in training specialists, academic exchanges, and joint scientific research.

The parties supported the initiative to establish an intergovernmental commission on trade, economic, and investment cooperation, as well as to hold regular political consultations between foreign ministries.

Special attention was given to prospects for collaboration in the transport and logistics sector. In particular, the idea was discussed of creating a joint Uzbek–Sri Lankan trade and logistics hub to facilitate access to markets in South Asia and Oceania.

They also stressed the importance of expanding cooperation in areas such as the digital economy, e-commerce, pharmaceuticals, medical tourism, and tourism.

The Prime Minister advocated launching a direct regular air service between Tashkent and Colombo, noting that it would provide a strong impetus for advancing political, economic, and humanitarian ties.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to shared approaches on international and regional cooperation, as well as coordination of actions within the UN and other reputable organizations.