SL, Kazakhstan conclude Foreign Office Consultations in Astana
Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan successfully concluded the second round of Foreign Office Consultations in Astana on Thursday (11). The Sri Lanka delegation was led by Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane, and the delegation of Kazakhstan was led by Foreign Affairs Deputy Minister Alibek Bakayev.
On bilateral visits, the Kazakhstan delegation invited President Ranil Wickremesinghe to undertake an official visit to Kazakhstan. A visit by Foreign Minister Ali Sabry to participate in the Astana International Forum in June 2024 was also confirmed. On bilateral cooperation, trade, tourism, energy, transport and logistics were prioritized. It was acknowledged that the resumption of direct charter flights by Air Astana to Sri Lanka has contributed to increasing tourist arrivals from Kazakhstan to Sri Lanka and the two sides will explore a reciprocal visa free arrangement for normal passport holders.
Foreign Secretary Wijewardane extended sympathies to those affected by the recent unprecedented floods that occurred in certain parts of Kazakhstan. She highlighted the initiatives taken by Sri Lanka in climate change including the tropical belt initiative, climate justice forum and international climate change university.
The Kazakh side expressed their confidence in Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and welcomed the recent progress on all indicators on this front.
The Consultations concluded with a decision to hold the third round in 2025. Foreign Secretary Wijewardane is also expected to meet the Vice Energy Minister, Vice Tourism and Sports Minister and the Vice Trade and Integration Minister of Kazakhstan, as well as the Secretary General of the Conference on Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) and visit the Astana International Financial Centre.
Neptune Recyclers and Elephant House Unite Forces to Combat Plastic Pollution and Foster Sustainable Practices
Neptune Recyclers, Sri Lanka's leading enabler in recyclable waste management, and Elephant House, trading as Ceylon Cold Stores (CCS), have joined hands in a ground-breaking partnership to launch an eco-friendly recycling project aimed at reducing plastic pollution and fostering sustainable practices. This strategic alliance, established in September 2023, brings together Neptune Recyclers' expertise in collecting, sorting, and transforming PET waste into high-quality plastic materials with Elephant House's commitment under Gunadamin Elephant House for environmental stewardship and increasing the recycling rate of the Country.
Gunadamin Elephant House serves as Elephant House's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) division, focusing on various initiatives aimed at improving society. The Waste Management pillar, along with the Community and Sustainable Sourcing pillars, constitutes Gunadamin Elephant House's comprehensive strategy for sustainable and responsible practices. As part of the John Keells Group, Elephant House is in line with the Group's dedicated efforts towards Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) initiatives.
vivo Unveils the Future of Portrait Photography with the Premium and Elegant V30
vivo, a leading global technology company, today unveiled vivo V30, the best-in-class flagship with upgraded Aura Light Portrait and premium design to its stylish V series. The latest V30 sports an integrated 120 Hz 3D Curved Screen to showcase its premium design and comes in outstanding new color options to represent users' unique styles.
"V series has always been synonymous with a light and simple aesthetic, a characteristic that is amplified with vivo's groundbreaking innovations in both portrait photography and design. We have upgraded the Aura Light Portrait feature, bringing a truly powerful tool to help users easily capture stunning portraits, even in challenging low-light night conditions," said Kevin Jiang, CEO, of vivo Sri Lanka.