The London-based think-tank Legatum Institute launched the 14th Legatum Prosperity Index on 17 November 2020. One of the main highlights of this year’s index was the improvement in Sri Lanka’s education and healthcare sectors over the past decade. According to the Index, these improvements were key to increase in prosperity within Sri Lanka.
Excellencies,
Hon.Chairman,
Distinguished delegates,
Ayubowan.
It is my pleasure to be invited to address this august gathering, representing my country.
Let me commence my remarks by congratulating His Excellency Luhut B. Panjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs of Indonesia, UNDP and the AIS Secretariat for organizing this important event.
Eminent international legal luminaries, Managing Director and Head of Projects for Morocco and Sudan at the Max Planck Foundation Prof. Rüdiger Wolfrum and member of the United Nations International Law Commission Sir Michael Wood were among the speakers at a webinar organized by the Foreign Ministry on 20 November 2020, as part of its responsibilities as the lead country for the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Working Group on Maritime Safety and security on the theme “The Nexus between Marine Scientific Research (MSR) and Maritime Safety and Security (MSS)”.
The attention of the Ministry was drawn to the comments on Sri Lanka attributed to Chair of The Elders and former Irish President Mary Robinson as a part of a recent statement by The Elders titled ‘The Elders express deep concern at failure to respect US democratic transition of power’ which was contained in several newspapers in Ireland.
In this connection, the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in the United Kingdom Saroja Sirisena wrote to Mrs Robinson and the Editors of the relevant newspapers drawing attention to the inaccuracy of Mrs Robinson’s comments.
Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena reiterated the call of the Group of 77 for adequate funding for development initiatives enabling developing countries to overcome the multifaceted challenges hindering the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in the context of the exacerbated global situation due to the pandemic and its adverse effects on trade, tourism, investment and employment.
A Vice-Ministerial level Dialogue took place on 10 November 2020 with the participation of High Level Officials of the Foreign Ministries of China, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. While China was represented by Vice Minister Luo Zhaohui, State Minister for Regional Co-operation Tharaka Balasuriya spoke at the conference representing Sri Lanka.
