Sri Lanka pledged an un-earmarked voluntary contribution of 15,000 US$ towards the UNHCR Global Appeal 2018-2019 at the UNHCR Pledging Conference held on 05th December 2017 in Geneva. The Global Appeal 2018-2019 by the UNHCR presents the requirement of financial resources that amounts to USD 7.508 billion for 2018 and USD 7.352 billion for 2019, to protect and improve the lives of millions of people, including refugees, asylum seekers, internally displaced people (IDPs), returnees, stateless people, and others of concern.
Addressing the UNHCR Pledging Conference, Ambassador Aryasinha appreciated the assistance extended by UNHCR to Sri Lanka in the resettlement process of IDPs and returnees in the provision of shelter, livelihoods and basic household items and assured Sri Lanka’s cooperation to Mr. High Commissioner for his endeavours.
Statement By Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
5 December 2017
The Government of Sri Lanka has announced the dates for the 18th Meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), to be attended by 183 State Parties, and held from 22nd May - 3rd June 2019 at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) in Colombo.
Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha who made the announcement addressing the 69th Standing Committee of CITES meeting, said as a country with rich biological diversity, Sri Lanka is fully committed to the implementation of the CITES provisions to ensure sustainable trade that takes into account the conservation of wild fauna and flora essential for a healthy and prosperous economy. He further drew attention to the recent actions taken by Sri Lanka in fulfilling its commitment under the Convention, including the seizure of illegally traded blood ivory, which was publicly destroyed in 2016, as well as the initiatives taken to list thresher shark species under CITES Appendix II as a protected species. The offer to host the Conference was made as Sri Lanka is mindful of the challenges that remain to be overcome at national and international levels, the Ambassador added.
Director-General of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Ambassador William Lacy Swing, addressing the 108th Session of the IOM Council in Geneva, on Wednesday (29 November 2017) commended the Government of Sri Lanka for its leadership in migration issues and observed “our bilateral cooperation has grown exponentially over the last few years, but particularly in this year”. Referring to Sri Lanka's role in regional consultative processes - as until recently Chair of the Colombo Process (CP) and presently as Chair of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue (ADD), he thanked Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha for his leadership in steering a number of activities that has strengthened the relationship between the Mission in Geneva and the IOM.
Noting IOM’s engagement and support for Sri Lanka in several important areas such as border management, preventing trafficking in persons, human rights,
re-integration of refugee returnees, peace building and reconciliation and disaster management, Ambassador Swing expressed hope that IOM and Sri Lanka will continue to build on these excellent relationships. He also congratulated Sri Lanka on launching a comprehensive National Economic Development Programme; the Vision 2025 - A Country Enriched, under the leadership of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe. He further expressed IOM’s appreciation for Sri Lanka’s co-sponsorship and for its contribution towards hosting the ‘Second Global Consultation on Migrant Health’ in Colombo in February 2017, and in actively supporting the efforts at securing the global attention on migrant health.
Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Mr. Petteri Taalas, has assured to collaborate with Sri Lanka in strengthening Meteorological Services for forecasting purposes, which would be more cost effective and could help avoid calamities caused by changes in weather patterns. He said the WMO was in a process of finding more resources to assist developing countries, and that greater opportunities will be provided to Sri Lanka for capacity building and technological upgrading.
The Secretary General made these comments when he met Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha recently at the WMO headquarters in Geneva. Associated with the Ambassador were visiting senior officials of the Department of Meteorology of Sri Lanka - Mr. D. A. Jayasinghearachchi, Director, Mr. A. K. Karunanayake, Director and Ms. C. G. Premachandra, Meteorologist.
The Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) adopted the report on Sri Lanka today, 17 November 2017 in Geneva.
Sri Lanka received a total of 230 recommendations from Member States and accepted 177 recommendations while it noted 53 recommendations. Sri Lanka also made 12 voluntary pledges. The Head of the Sri Lanka delegation, Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, MP, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs made his closing remarks during the adoption.
Remarks by the Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Dr. Harsha de Silva
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
17 November 2017
Third Cycle of Sri Lanka’s Review at the 28th Session of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) Working Group is being held on Wednesday, 15 November 2017 in Geneva.
The Sri Lanka’s delegation to the review is led by the Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs Dr. Harsha de Silva. The delegation comprised of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Attorney-General’s Department, the President’s Office, and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva.
Full Statement of the Opening Statement delivered by Dr. Harsha de Silva , (Word Format)
Concluding Remarks made by Hon. (Dr.) Harsha De Silva ,MP, Deputy Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs.
Mr. Prasad Kariyawasam , Secretary Foreign Affairs made interventions on Torture, Office of the Missing Persons and Transitional Justice.
Mr. Nerin Pulle, Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department made interventions on Hate Speech & Minority Rights, Sexual & Gender based Violence, LGBTIQ and Persons with Disabilities (PwD).
Ms. Chandima Wickremesinghe, Senior Assistant Secretary to the President, made intervention on Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Geneva
15 November 2017
Sri Lanka's Report under the Universal Periodic Review comes up for consideration by the OHCHR Working Group on UPR on Wednesday 15 November 2017, in Geneva.
The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) was established by the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) in 2006, as a process through which the human rights record of every UN Member State is peer-reviewed.
This review, conducted through the UN Human Rights Council (HRC), is based upon each country’s human rights obligations and commitments in the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, human rights instruments to which the country is party, and other sources. During the process, the country under review submits a written report on its human rights record, and appears before the Council, where it receives recommendations regarding its human rights record from other UN Member States. The country under review is able to ‘accept’ or ‘note’ these recommendations. Those accepted form the basis for future reporting.
- UNCTAD to support Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Review in Sri Lanka
- Sri Lanka Pledges US $ 50,000 to assist the Rohingaya Refugee Crisis
- Deputy Minister Manusha Nanayakkara participates in the Seventh Global Meeting of Chairs and Secretariats of Regional Consultative Processes on Migration in Geneva