A Regional Centre for Maritime Studies will be set up in the island.

Cabinet approval has been granted to enter into an agreement between the Governments of Sri Lanka and France for the establishment of a Regional Centre for Maritime Studies in Sri Lanka.

According to the government, it has been proposed to establish the centre at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University and to obtain the necessary assistance and the infrastructure facility from the Trincomalee Naval and Maritime Academy.

The decision comes after Sri Lanka was identified by the French Government as the most suitable location for the establishment of the ‘Regional Centre for Maritime Studies’ to enable the dissemination of knowledge and actions gained through the common study throughout the region reckoning with the various initiatives taken by Sri Lanka as a member of the Association of Indian Ocean countries in respect of maritime protection.