Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, is set to visit India, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh from May 10 to 15. The purpose of his trip is to fortify bilateral cooperation with each nation and demonstrate the U.S.'s commitment to a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific region.
During his visit to Chennai, Assistant Secretary Lu plans to meet with Consulate personnel to strengthen bilateral engagement in southern India. Following this, he will travel to Colombo where he intends to engage with officials from across the political spectrum. This is aimed at deepening 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," states the itinerary.
The final leg of Assistant Secretary Lu's journey will take him to Dhaka. Here, he will hold discussions with government officials, civil society leaders, and other Bangladeshi citizens. The focus of these discussions will be on U.S.-Bangladesh cooperation in areas such as addressing the climate crisis and deepening economic ties.
