|
|
Historical Context |
|
|
Earliest contact between the two countries was when Belgian
priests and nuns played an important role in missionary work in Ceylon.
From the 17th century, they were dedicated to teaching, in addition to
being involved in religious activities. As early as 1620, Nicolao Paludano
from Liege, spent most of his life in pastoral work in Jaffna and is said to
have been fluent in the Tamil language. The Oblate Fathers of Our Lady
were also very active in Colombo and Jaffna, and the Franciscan Sisters
and the Sisters of Charity from Ghent, did their activities in many
other places. Mother Solange from Huy was named as the founder of
the ‘Teacher Training College of Bolawalana’. In 1862, the Papal
Seminary in Kandy was also entrusted to the Belgian Jesuits.
This seminary trained priests from 9 ecclesiastical provinces of India and Ceylon.
Earliest recorded political contact was when during his voyage
to the Far-East King Leopold II, then the Duke of Brabant, visited Ceylon in
1864, one year before he ascended the throne. He traversed the island for
16 days and visited, among other places, Galle, Colombo and Kandy.
He had the honour of inaugurating the first railway in Ceylon,
from Veyangoda to Ambepussa. He also visited the Ramboda
waterfalls and the famous Botanical Gardens of Peradeniya.
|
| |
In 1911, it is noted that Dr. Kamiel Vermoesen, Professor
in Natural Science at the University of Leuven, visited Sri Lanka,
on behalf of the Belgium Government to study tropical plant diseases,
mainly in the coffee plantations. He stayed in Sri Lanka for one year,
mainly at Peradeniya, Kandy.
|
| |
In 1925, King Alber I and Queen Elisabeth visited
the Papal Seminary in Kandy which was administered by Belgian Jesuit
Priests. During this visit King Albert I planted a tree
‘Amherstia Nobilis’ ( Pride of Burma) at the Royal Botanical
Gardens, Peradeniya. This tree, has presently flourished into
a spectacular specimen, with a height of about 15 metres.
|
| |
A Sri Lankan also owns the only ‘Pipe ’ –
the Belgian car remaining in the world. Available in Colombo since
1914, it is in perfect condition.
|
| |
Post Independence Relations |
| |
Diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Belgium was established
in 1953 and the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels was set up in July 1973.
The Belgium Embassy in New Delhi is accredited to cover the diplomatic relations
with Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka has also appointed an Honorary Consul in Antwerp,
while Belgium has appointed an Honorary Consul, in Colombo.
|
| |
In March 2001 President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
visited Belgium. During this visit Sri Lanka and Belgium signed
two agreements to promote investment and to strengthened bilateral
cooperation – in the fields of technology and financial assistance.
The Belgium Corporation for International Investment (SBI),
the Belgium Institution especially set up to encourage Small
Scale & Medium Industrial Investment in other countries entered
into an agreement with the National Development Bank (NDB) and
the Development Finance Corporation of Ceylon (DFCC) - the two
major development banks in Sri Lanka. The other agreement was
also signed by two parties in order to enable financial
cooperation in the field of investment.
|
| |
In October, 2003 an Agreement on Maritime Transport
between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Belgium was signed.
|
| |
Belgium was one of the first countries to come
to Sri Lanka’s assistance at the time of the 2004 Tsunami.
Soldiers of the Belgian Army were engaged in the “Sri Lanka
Southern Coast Reconstruction Programme”. In February 2005,
Mr. Karel De Gucht, Minister of Foreign Affairs visited Sri Lanka
to support the tsunami recovery efforts and had meetings with
the Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Lakshman
Kadirgamar. Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid of Belgium
accompanied by the Belgium Minister for Development Cooperation,
Armand De Decker also visited in Sri Lanka in June 2005,
to assess the progress of Belgium aid at the round level
and to determine the needs of the local people.
|
| |
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama visited
Belgium in September 2007. During this visit he called on the
Foreign Minister and the Speaker of the House of Representatives of
Belgium and had an audience with Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid.
|
| |
Trade with Sri Lanka |
| |
Sri Lanka’s trade with Belgium has shown an
upward trend for the last few years. The total trade turnover,
which stood at US$ 462Mn. in 2002, has increased to US$ 628 Mn.
in 2007. Sri Lanka enjoyed a favorable balance of trade with
Belgium except the years 2003 and 2004 (Table 1).
|
| |
Diamonds have been the main item of exports from Sri Lanka
to Belgium, which accounts for 64% of the total in the year 2007.
Other items of exports include articles of apparels, precious &
semi-precious stones, Retreated / used tyres, Vehicles and parts
tobacco, cigars, cheroot and cigarillios, multiple /cabled and yarn,
rubber tyres, and brooms brushes etc (Table 2).
|
| |
Imports of rough diamonds from Belgium accounted
for 82% of the value of total imports in the year 2007.
The other import items from Belgium are iron or steel,
boilers & machinery parts, cotton, tobacco not stemmed/stripped,
medicaments, plastics & articles thereof and man made staple fibers
etc. The value of total imports from Belgium to Sri Lanka has shown
an upward trend during the period 2002-2006. In the year 2007 the total
value of imports has decreased, due to the reduction of import
of diamonds in that particular year
(Table 3).
|
| |
Investment from Belgium
|
| |
Belgium is among the top four European countries
that have invested invest in Sri Lanka. The investment generated
from Belgium as at end of 2007 stood at Rs 9300 million (Table 4).
A noteworthy development during 2008, is the interest shown by
Belgian companies in investing in Sri Lanka in the
computer software sectors (Table 5).
|
| |
Tourism |
| |
The Mission has also been successfully in promoting
tourism to Sri Lanka in association with Sri Lankan Airlines and Sri Lanka
tourism. In 2007 Around 4,653 Belgian tourists had visited Sri Lanka. Following
the relaxation of Belgium travel advisory on Sri Lanka in August 2008,
the Embassy together with Sri Lankan Airlines, Sri Lanka Tourism and
leading tour organizations and agents of both Belgium and Sri Lanka
have launched a crash programme to promote Sri Lanka as a tourist
destination to Belgian tourists. The mission continuoes to participate
in major travel events in Belgium, with a view to promoting
Sri Lanka among Belgium travelers.
|
| |
Sri Lankan Community in Belgium
|
| |
It is estimated that approximately 800 Sri Lankans currently live in Belgium.
|
| |
A “reaching out programme” was launched by the Embassy
in September 2008. It seeks to re-integrate expatriates with Sri Lanka
and to leverage their capabilities to promote Sri Lanka in Belgium and Luxembourg.
|
| |
Since May 2008, the Embassy commenced the practice of conducting
commemorative events to celebrate festivals of the great religions in
Sri Lanka- Buddhism (Wesak), Hinduism (Thai Pongal),
Islam ( Eid Festival) and Christianity (Christmas). |
|
|
|
