On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Sri Lanka as they celebrate their nation’s independence on February 4. In the 77 years since Sri Lanka claimed its independence, our countries have developed a strong and mutually beneficial partnership built on the cornerstone of our people-to-people ties and shared democratic values. In the year ahead, we look forward to increasing trade and investment between our countries and strengthening our security cooperation to advance stability and prosperity throughout the Indo-Pacific region.