SCO Secretary-General Vladimir Norov sent a letter to Mr Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, and conveyed warm greetings to the people of Sri Lanka on the occasion of the republic's 73rd Independence Day anniversary.
In his letter, the SCO Secretary-General noted the active involvement of Sri Lanka in SCO activities as a dialogue partner and voiced his sincere desire to deepen and expand trade and economic and cultural-humanitarian cooperation with Sri Lanka within the SCO's framework under the road map for promoting the SCO Secretariat's interaction with the observer states and dialogue partners.
The SCO Secretary-General also noted Sri Lanka's rich cultural legacy and its significance for the Organisation because 2021 has been proclaimed the SCO Year of Culture, as part of the celebration of the Organisation's 20th anniversary.
On the occasion of Sri Lanka's Independence Day, Mr Norov wished a healthy and happy life, full of peace and prosperity, to the president and citizens of Sri Lanka.
Sri Lanka marks its Independence Day anniversary every 4 February.
Sri Lanka has been a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation since 2009.