Libya lends $500 million to Sri Lanka

Continuing its policy of building relationships with non-western states that are willing to provide aid despite its horrific human rights violations, Sri Lanka has formed full diplomatic ties with Libya and borrowed $500 million.

Following a visit by President Rajapakse in early April to the North African country, the two countries agreed to have full diplomatic relations. According to latest media reports, the Sri Lankan Government has selected the Chief of Protocol at the Foreign Ministry Sudantha Ganegama Arachchi as Sri Lanka’s first Ambassador to Libya.

Meanwhile, the Government Information Department in a statement released on Friday April 24, announced that during a special telephone conversation held with President Rajapaksa, the Libyan leader had promised to grant a loan of $500 million immediately. The loan was promised to Sri Lanka during a recent visit by President Mahinda Rajapakse to Libya.

Further to the statement, the Libyan leader Muammar Gadaffi believes that the efforts of the President to bring about peace in the country would be fruitful and he praised the steps taken by the Sri Lankan government to defeat terrorism in the country completely.

In recent months Libya has opened its employment market to Sri Lanka offering as much as 100,000 jobs there to Sri Lankans.