Colombo: Amb. Dr. Sarmila Parajuli Dhakal, President of the International Relations and Global Diplomacy Dialogue (IRGDD) and former Ambassador of Nepal to the Sultanate of Oman and the Kingdom of Spain, concluded a series of high-level engagements in Colombo aimed at strengthening Nepal–Sri Lanka relations through diplomacy, policy dialogue, economic cooperation, and institutional partnerships.
The visit reflects IRGDD’s commitment to promoting “Development through Diplomacy” by fostering collaboration among governments, academia, think tanks, diplomatic institutions, and the private sector to advance sustainable development and regional cooperation.
Strengthening Economic Diplomacy
Dr. Parajuli held a meeting with Mr. Shiran Fernando, Secretary General and Chief Executive Officer of The Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, one of Sri Lanka’s oldest and most respected business institutions.
During the meeting, Amb. Dr. Parajuli presented IRGDD as an independent platform dedicated to advancing Track 1.5 and Track II diplomacy through policy dialogue, research, institutional cooperation, and international partnerships. She introduced the four strategic pillars of the organisation, The Ambassadors Club Nepal, International Relations and Global Diplomacy Dialogue (IRGDD), The Diplomat Nepal, and the Diplomatic Academy Nepal (DAN), which collectively promote diplomacy as a catalyst for sustainable development, economic cooperation, and international understanding.
Mr. Fernando highlighted the Chamber’s longstanding contribution to Sri Lanka’s economic development through trade facilitation, investment promotion, policy advocacy, business services, and international commercial engagement.
The discussions explored opportunities for collaboration in economic diplomacy, trade and investment promotion, policy research, business networking, leadership dialogue, market intelligence, and institutional exchanges. Both sides also discussed strengthening cooperation between chambers of commerce, policy institutions, universities, and private-sector organizations to promote regional economic integration and sustainable growth.
