Agenda Item 7: Reaffirming the determination to put an end to the suffering caused by cluster munitions
Mr. President,
Sri Lanka is pleased to join the Second Review Conference of the Convention on Cluster Munitions (CCM), a significant milestone of the Convention. We join with other delegations in congratulating you, Mr. President and your team for your hard work and dedication in the process leading up to this important Review Conference.
Mr. President,
As a country that has never used or produced cluster munitions, we take this opportunity to renew our persistent commitment to the humanitarian principles and objectives enshrined in the Convention on Cluster Munitions. We acceded to the Convention on 1 March 2018 as a country that has been a keen and active participant in the disarmament and non-proliferation deliberations over the years. Sri Lanka had the honour to preside over the 9th Meeting of State Parties to the Convention, one year after accession to the Convention. We remain fully committed to the multilateral regime of disarmament and non- proliferation discourse and yearn to see substantive progress on some of the key outstanding issues in the realm of disarmament and non-proliferation.
Speech of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at 76th UN General Assembly – New York, September 22, 2021
Expired
Statement by H.E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa
President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
at the General Debate of the Seventy-Sixth Session of the
United Nations General Assembly
22 September 2021
Mr. President,
Secretary General,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Ayubowan,
I am honoured to represent Sri Lanka at this august gathering today.
Let me first congratulate His Excellency Abdulla Shahid on being elected President of the 76th session of the General Assembly.
Mr. President, you have long been a friend of Sri Lanka. We look forward to working closely with you in the year ahead.
I also take this opportunity to convey our appreciation of His Excellency Volkan Bozkir’s stewardship of the previous session of the General Assembly, and to commend Secretary-General Antonio Guterres for his leadership in these difficult times.
Mr. President,
The COVID19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on humanity.
I sympathise deeply with all who have lost their loved ones during the pandemic.
I thank frontline healthcare and essential workers around the world for their dedication and commend the World Health Organisation for its crisis response.
Human Rights Council 48th Regular Session
Agenda Item 2: Oral update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Statement by Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka (Geneva, 14 September 2021)
Madam President,
Let me begin by reiterating our strong and continued cooperation with this Council and the United Nations mandated human rights system, in keeping with our Constitution and our international obligations voluntarily undertaken.
Twelve years ago, Sri Lanka eradicated LTTE terrorism on its soil. We have restored peace, security and stability for the benefit of our people. We held firm to our democratic traditions and elections were held at regular intervals with high levels of voter participation – most recently at the 2019 Presidential and 2020 Parliamentary polls. The Government is committed to holding the Provincial Council elections at the earliest.
Human Rights Council 48th Regular Session
Agenda Item 2: Oral update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Statement by Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka (Geneva, 14 September 2021)
Madam President,
Let me begin by reiterating our strong and continued cooperation with this Council and the United Nations mandated human rights system, in keeping with our Constitution and our international obligations voluntarily undertaken.
Twelve years ago, Sri Lanka eradicated LTTE terrorism on its soil. We have restored peace, security and stability for the benefit of our people. We held firm to our democratic traditions and elections were held at regular intervals with high levels of voter participation – most recently at the 2019 Presidential and 2020 Parliamentary polls. The Government is committed to holding the Provincial Council elections at the earliest.
Meetings of Experts of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), 30 August - 8 September 2021
Expired
Intervention made during MX 3 - Strengthening National Implementation
Mr Chair,
Let me extend our warm congratulations on your assumption of duties as the chairperson, MX3 and hard work throughout.
Sri Lanka supports the BWC and very much in line with implementation process. We will further discuss implementation in Sri Lanka through preparedness and response at the proceedings of MX4
I would like to congratulate Japan and US for the interesting working papers and comprehensive methodology applied for training and information sharing.
Meetings of Experts of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), 30 August - 8 September 2021
Expired
Intervention made during MX 3 - Strengthening National Implementation
Mr Chair,
Let me extend our warm congratulations on your assumption of duties as the chairperson, MX3 and hard work throughout.
Sri Lanka supports the BWC and very much in line with implementation process. We will further discuss implementation in Sri Lanka through preparedness and response at the proceedings of MX4
I would like to congratulate Japan and US for the interesting working papers and comprehensive methodology applied for training and information sharing.
Mr. President,
Since this is the first time my delegation takes the floor during your presidency, allow me at the outset to congratulate you on the assumption of the presidency. You can count on our full support.
We thank the distinguished panelists for their valuable `insights into this timely discussion on Women and International Security.
Mr. President,
We repeat among ourselves at each session that the CD is the sole multilateral disarmament negotiating forum. Yet, regrettably, we have not been successful in reaching consensus on a Programme of Work, let alone the negotiations.. Irrespective of the CD’s lack of progress, the world outside keeps moving and the already fragile international security situation is taking a turn for the worse. Trust in multilateralism is challenged and there are concerns on the return of strategic competition among military powers. It is in these worrying circumstances that we welcome this session on ‘Women´s participation and role in International Security, a discussion that will shed light on an important link on the chain of disarmament and non-proliferation that is often over looked.
Sri Lanka in 1960 produced the world’s first elected female Prime Minister who mooted the proposal for the Indian Ocean to be made a Zone of Peace at the United Nations General Assembly in 1971. , Sri Lanka has over the years seen women leaders rising up to important government positions including the office of the President, Cabinet Ministers, Chief Justice, and the Attorney General. In the recent past two Sri Lanka female career diplomats have held senior positions at the IAEA and at the OPCW contributing to disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. We consider active female participation is essential in the disarmament and non-proliferation discussions and negotiations due to several reasons.
- Statement at the Plenary on “Women´s participation and role in International Security” Conference on Disarmament 26 August 2021
- Statement at the Plenary on Youth and Disarmament Conference on Disarmament 12 August 2021
- Statement at the Plenary on Youth and Disarmament Conference on Disarmament 12 August 2021