Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena leading the Sri Lanka delegation thanked all Member States for placing their confidence in Sri Lanka when its application for the position of Vice Chair was endorsed at 20th Council of Ministers (CoM) Meeting virtually hosted by the United Arab Emirates today (17/12). Sri Lanka thereafter is expected to take over the Chair for the year 2023 to 2025.
Addressing the 13th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF) State Minister for Regional Co-operation, Tharaka Balasuriya, underscored Sri Lanka’s commitment to ensure the health of citizens of Sri Lanka and the region. He said this at the Ministerial Panel that was held on 10 December 2020 on the subject of “Upholding Democracy: COVID-19 Pandemic”. The Ministerial Panel focused on sharing state policies of countries to prevent and maintain the COVID-19 pandemic.
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met with the British High Commissioner Sarah Hulton and Canadian High Commissioner David McKinnon, this week to discuss matters of bilateral importance.
The Minister addressed the mutual concern of security of countries, particularly in the context of the increasingly visible activities in the past few weeks by non-state actors engaged in glorification of terrorist acts of the LTTE, including suicide bombers. Serious note was taken by the envoys regarding the use of children in terrorist propaganda activities, leading to the radicalization of new generations of youth and children.
At the invitation of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore, State Minister for Regional Co-operation, Tharaka Balasuriya delivered a pre-recorded statement at ‘Switching on Cross Border Start Ups & Innovation‘, an event organized jointly by GBCDL (GB Community Development Ltd.) as a consortium partner of Asian Development Bank (ADB-SP) Global Technology Innovation Village and Singapore Polytechnic (GTiV) with the High Commission of Sri Lanka to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Singapore, on 08 December 2020.
The outgoing South African High Commissioner in Colombo Robina P. Marks called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry on 04 December 2020.
The High Commissioner apprised the Minister that the Government of South Africa was keen to obtain assistance from Sri Lankan craftsmen to develop the Jewellery Industry in South Africa. Foreign Minister Gunawardena sought the South African expertise in the canning industry for the food and vegetable industry in Sri Lanka as around 40% of the harvest is wasted in the country due to technology gaps in this field. Besides, the Minister highlighted the importance of enhancing cooperation in trade, investment and tourism sectors between the two countries. It was also discussed on further expanding tea exports to the African continent through the South African distribution network.
Mr President
Mr Secretary-General
Your Majesties
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen
At the outset, I thank H.E. Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly for convening the Special Session in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as proposed by the Non Aligned Movement and Azerbaijan, Chair of the NAM.
