Minister for Foreign Affairs Bimala Rai Paudyal, who is on a four-day Sri Lanka visit, held political meetings in Colombo on Friday.

Paudyal, who had travelled to attend the South Asian island nation’s 75th Independence Day functions as an honoured guest in Colombo, met with Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Dinesh Gunawardena earlier on the day at the latter’s residence.

During the meeting, matters such as direct air connectivity between Colombo and Bhairahawa, attracting Sri Lankan investment in small hydropower projects in Nepal, enhancing cooperation in the field of agriculture and collaborating in teachers’ training programmes were discussed, according to a statement issued by the Embassy of Nepal in Colombo.

Minister Paudyal attended a luncheon, hosted by her Sri Lankan counterpart Ali Sabry, at the Colombo-based Galle Face Hotel, along with delegates from other countries.

“The ministers in attendance discussed the climate change vulnerability of the countries of South Asia and ways of devising common adaptation and mitigation measures,” said the embassy.

Minister Paudyal also paid a visit to Mahinda Rajapaksa, former president of Sri Lanka, congratulating him on the diamond jubilee celebration.