The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu began his travel to India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh today to strengthen bilateral cooperation with each country and demonstrate US support for a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
The State Department on Thursday formally announced the trip from May 10 to 15. He is scheduled to visit Bangladesh on May 14-15.
He will meet Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud, Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, and civil society leaders to discuss US-Bangladesh cooperation, including addressing the climate crisis and deepening economic ties.
In Chennai, Assistant Secretary Lu will meet with consulate personnel to bolster bilateral engagement in southern India, said a statement of the State Department.
He will then travel to Colombo to engage with officials from across the political spectrum and deepen the United States' partnership with Sri Lanka.
"In his meetings, he will reaffirm the United States' support for Sri Lanka's economic recovery, as well as the importance of a robust civil society as a cornerstone of a free and democratic society," the statement said.
