Sri Lanka’s Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayake has met Norway’s Transport Minister Kamzy Gunaratnam, a Sri Lankan-born politician, for discussions on road safety, sustainable transport and national reconciliation.In a social media post, Gunaratnam said she was pleased to welcome Rathnayake and his delegation to Norway’s Ministry of Transport.The discussions focused on the transition to greener transport, preventing social dumping in the transport sector and improving road safety.Gunaratnam said Rathnayake had informed her that more than 2,700 people lost their lives in road accidents in Sri Lanka last year, including many young people.Describing the figures as heartbreaking, she stressed that road safety was not merely a transport issue but one involving human lives, families and futures.The two ministers also discussed social inclusion and the importance of representing people from different ethnic, social and geographical backgrounds.Gunaratnam, who was born in Jaffna, highlighted the continuing impact of Sri Lanka’s civil war and expressed support for reconciliation efforts.She wished the Sri Lankan delegation success in developing infrastructure that addresses climate and transport challenges while helping to bridge social divisions.

“Because that’s exactly what good transport policy is about. Connecting people together,” she said.Gunaratnam, a member of Norway’s Labour Party and a former deputy mayor of Oslo, was appointed Norway’s Transport Minister in September 2026. (