Raisi in Sri Lanka to strengthen cooperation between Tehran and Colombo
A quick visit to the island for the Iranian leader on his return from Pakistan. The focus of the day was the signing of five memoranda of understanding (MoUs) and the inauguration of a hydroelectric power plant. Analysts underline the Islamic Republic's attempt to strengthen relations with South Asia at a time of tensions in the Middle East, with heavy repercussions on international trade.
Colombo (AsiaNews) - Strengthening bilateral ties thanks to the signing of five Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) and inaugurating a 514 million dollar hydroelectric power plant, the "Uma Oya Multipurpose Development Project".
These are the themes at the center of the short official visit scheduled today by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Colombo at the invitation of his Sri Lankan counterpart Ranil Wickremesinghe, after spending three days in Pakistan on a tour dedicated to the countries of South Asia. The main event of the day will be the official opening of the energy plant, better known by the acronym Uomdp, during a public ceremony.
Raisi's visit is the first visit by a president of the Islamic Republic to the island since 2008, when the ultra-conservative leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad was at the helm of Iran. Analysts and commentators in Sri Lanka underline Raisi's decision to stop on the island in a phase of profound tension in the Middle East and the Gulf, with serious repercussions on international trade which affect Colombo itself, in particular for tea trafficking. Nonetheless, Raisi's presence is a sign of "the importance" attributed by the Islamic Republic to the island.
The hydroelectric plant project dates back to 2010, although the process that led to its construction has suffered delays and obstacles over time, starting with the drying up of funds after an initial allocation of 50 million dollars due to US sanctions on Tehran.
The restrictive measures of the Western chancelleries have in fact made the transfer of money more difficult and forced Colombo to finance the remaining part of the work. Added to this were further delays linked to the Covid-19 pandemic, fears linked to the environmental impact of the project itself and protests from the inhabitants of the villages affected. In particular, for the construction of a tunnel connecting the reservoir to the power plant, which resulted in serious drainage of groundwater, landslides in at least 10 villages of Bandarawela and 1200 damaged houses.
The Oma Oya complex consists of dams along the Dalgolla Oya river and channeling water through a 4km tunnel in Mathatilla Oya where there is another dam to convey water to the Uma Oya power station.
The project will add 120 megawatts to the national grid, providing water to 6 thousand hectares of agricultural land and drinking water to thousands of families in three districts, as explained in a statement by the president's office in Colombo. “The [inauguration] ceremony, presided by the presidents of Iran and Sri Lanka, will symbolize the cooperation - concludes the note from Colombo - between the two nations in this significant infrastructural effort".
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