Sri Lanka and Belarus signed an Air Services Agreement and two memoranda of understanding on higher education and healthcare during Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath’s official visit to Minsk, the Foreign Ministry confirmed.
Speaking at a joint media event at the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Herath said the agreements would lay a solid foundation for advancing cooperation between the two countries in the years ahead. The Air Services Agreement is expected to pave the way for regular flight operations by Belarusian carrier Belavia to Sri Lanka, enhancing tourism, business exchanges and overall connectivity.
The higher education MoU expands collaboration in postgraduate study, specialised training and student exchanges. More than 3,000 Sri Lankan students currently study at Belarusian universities, particularly in medicine. The healthcare MoU covers medical technology, the supply of affordable medicines, potential joint ventures in pharmaceutical production and exchanges in healthcare management. Sri Lanka also expressed readiness to share its expertise in Ayurveda and wellness.
Following extensive talks with Belarusian Foreign Minister Maxim Ryzhenkov, both sides agreed to deepen ties through political consultations, the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation, and increased exchanges between legislatures.
Herath conveyed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s greetings to President Alexander Lukashenko and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to expanding cooperation in trade, investment and tourism. He invited Belarusian stakeholders to take advantage of Sri Lanka’s investment-friendly environment.
The visit, which marks the first high-level Sri Lankan engagement with Belarus in over a decade, comes as the two nations commemorate 25 years of diplomatic relations established in 2000. Both sides also discussed multilateral cooperation, with Sri Lanka expressing appreciation for Belarus’ continued support at the UN Human Rights Council. Herath extended an invitation to Ryzhenkov to visit Sri Lanka.
In a separate meeting with President Lukashenko, the two sides agreed to open a “new chapter” in bilateral relations. Trade discussions explored cooperation in the precious stones sector, with Sri Lanka — known for producing 70 to 80 varieties of gems including Ceylon sapphires, rubies, alexandrites and moonstones — considering supplying raw stones to Belarus for further processing. In return, Sri Lanka is looking to step up imports of mechanical engineering products, agricultural machinery and fertilisers from Belarus.
The signing follows the Cabinet’s Monday clearance of the three Belarus pacts ahead of Herath’s return and the recent Sri Lankan transport ministry’s St. Petersburg engagement with the Belarusian transport minister.
