Monday September 21, 2026 4:05 pm
Monday September 21, 2026 4:05 pm
ECONOMYNEXT – Two groups from Sri Lanka’s Parliament visited China and South Africa last week for a traditional medicine forum and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference.
The team participating in the 2026 Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Forum on Traditional Medicine in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, China were Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, Deputy Minister of Health Hansaka Wijemuni, and Managing Director of the Sri Lanka Ayurveda Drug Corporation Marasinghege Jayalal.
Organised by the Good-Neighborliness, Friendship and Cooperation Commission of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation and the People’s Government of Jiangxi Province, the forum brought together senior officials, health authorities, traditional medicine practitioners, experts, academics, researchers and representatives of the traditional medicine industry to promote cooperation.
Wickramaratne said there was potential for strengthened cooperation between Sri Lanka and China in traditional medicine, including in the areas of medicinal plants, scientific research, education and training, quality standards, technology and the development of safe and effective traditional medicine products.
The team also met with several Chinese investors to discuss potential investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, including investments related to rice-based products.
Separately, a Parliamentary team participated at the 69th Commonwealth Parliamentary Conference in Cape Town, South Africa.
The team comprised Deputy Minister of Mass Media Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Deputy Minister of Cooperative Development Upali Samarasinghe, Members of Parliament Sagarika Athauda, Ilankumaran Karunanathan, Sugath Wasantha de Silva, (CPwD Asia Regional Champion) and Suranga Rathnayake, Secretary-General of Parliament and Secretary of the CPA Sri Lanka Branch Kushani Rohanadeera, and Senior Parliamentary Interpreter Edirisinghe Arachchige Amarasena.
Ariyarathna chaired Workshop C of the 10th CWP Conference, examining approaches to incorporating gender equality into legislation, parliamentary procedures, committee scrutiny, budgeting and post-legislative oversight.
The CPA New Parliamentarian Award 2026 was presented to de Silva for his contribution to promoting inclusive parliamentary democracy, including advancing disability rights and inclusive governance.
Rohanadeera participated in the meeting of the Society of Clerks-at-the-Table (SoCATT), which brought together parliamentary officials from Commonwealth Parliaments to exchange institutional practices and discuss parliamentary administration and procedure. (Colombo/Sep21/2026)