Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, Vijitha Herath undertook a visit to Bremen, Germany from 26–27 February 2026 to attend the 125th Anniversary of the Asia-Pacific Business Association (OAV), Bremen Chapter as Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker alongside Dr. Johann Wadephul, Foreign Minister of Germany. During the visit, Foreign Minister Herath held a bilateral meeting with Foreign Minister Dr. Wadephul and chaired a business roundtable on Sri Lanka.
Delivering the keynote address at the 125th Anniversary celebration of OAV Bremen in the UNESCO world heritage listed town hall of Bremen, Foreign Minister Herath addressed an audience of German political and business leaders and foreign dignitaries. He highlighted Sri Lanka’s strategic location in the region, its expanding regional connectivity, Free Trade Agreements and preferential trade arrangements with regional partners and the highly educated work force as among factors which make the country an attractive destination for trade and investment in South Asia. Given Bremen’s strong connections to ports and logistics industry, the Minister invited the business community to explore the potential of Sri Lanka in these sectors.
On the sidelines of the event, Foreign Minister Herath held discussions with his German counterpart, Dr. Johann Wadephul on further strengthening the long-standing bilateral relationship, expanding trade and investment, the growth potential of the tourism industry in Sri Lanka, and enhancing cooperation within multilateral frameworks including the UN and EU. The two sides also discussed improving German language training to utilise the considerable potential in the tourism industry, vocational education and skilled employment opportunities.
Addressing the business roundtable organised by OAV Bremen and the Bremen Chamber of Commerce (IHK Bremen), which was attended by a wide cross-section of the business community, Foreign Minister Herath highlighted Sri Lanka’s connectivity, and growing market access in the region as offering opportunities not only to its domestic market but to a broader regional marketplace. The Chairman, Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Mangala Wijesinghe made a presentation on Sri Lanka as a strategic sourcing partner in South Asia and invited participation in the forthcoming Sri Lanka EXPO 2026.
During the visit, Foreign Minister Herath also met with Mayor of Bremen Dr. Andreas Bovenschulte and the discussions focused on sectors where Bremen has strong expertise, including automotive industries, trade and logistics.
The Minister was accompanied on the visit to Bremen by Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany Varuni Muthukumarana, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board Mangala Wijesinghe, and senior officials of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Berlin.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism
Colombo 01
04 March 2026
