The signing ceremony of the Joint Communiqué on establishing diplomatic relations between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Gabonese Republic was held today, 19 March 2021, at the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in New York. On behalf of the respective Governments, the Joint Communiqué was signed by H.E. Mohan Pieris, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and H.E. Michel Xavier Biang, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Gabonese Republic to the United Nations.

The Gabonese Republic is located on the Atlantic Ocean coast and borders Congo on the right and Equatorial Guinea to the North, with a population of 2.1 Mn (World Bank, 2019). A member of the African Union, Gabonese Republic is the fifth largest oil producer in Africa and is blessed with natural recourses such as oil reserves, Manganese, Uranium, and diamond, etc.

The establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Gabon would enhance the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural fields for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

New York, 19 March 2021