A bilateral Air Services Agreement has been signed between the Netherlands and Sri Lanka on Wednesday (22) in The Hague, the Embassy of Sri Lanka in the Hague announced.
The Embassy said in a statement that the agreement will provide a stronger platform to intensify connectivity both between the countries as well as the European and Asian regions.
The Sri Lankan Embassy further stated that the instrument inked at the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides, inter alia, for the designated airlines of both countries to fly between Amsterdam and Katunayake and beyond their respective territories.
While the agreement broadens avenues for leisure and business travel and enhances business interaction, it will also provide a speedier conduit for the transfer of cargo. Sri Lanka has been a popular destination among Dutch travellers. 11,987 Dutch tourists travelled to Sri Lanka in 2022, despite the travel restrictions which prevailed during certain periods in the year.
Sri Lanka’s envoy to the Netherlands Ambassador Aruni Ranaraja and the Acting Director General for Civil Aviation at the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management H. van Faassen signed the agreement.
The Embassy of Sri Lanka stated that the signature of the agreement reflects the mutual desire to deepen the bilateral relationship further. The two countries celebrated 70 years of formal diplomatic relations in 2021.
The agreement signed yesterday comes into effect on the first day of the second month following the date of the latter written notification through diplomatic channels, replacing a 1953 instrument. (NewsWire)