“If golden beaches, blue seas and rising waves, serene mountains, majestic elephants, silent leopards, huge whales and playful dolphins, a rich history, delicious tea, exotic cuisine, a wide range of festivities and warm smiles could sum up a country, that would be Sri Lanka” were introductory remarks made at the first ever tourism promotion event organized by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Viet Nam for outbound tour operators of Viet Nam.
At the meeting of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) held in Washington DC on 16 December, Sri Lanka was selected as an eligible country for assistance from fiscal year 2016.
This decision of the Board was conveyed by telephone on the same evening, 16 December, to Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, by the Chief Executive Officer of the MCC, Dana J. Hyde.
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in New York celebrated today, December 14, 2015, the 60th anniversary of the admission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations with an archival photographic exhibition, which was followed by a breakfast reception.
Sri Lanka today signed the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances at a simple ceremony held at the Treaty Section of the United Nations. Acting Permanent Representative Mr. A.S. Khan signed the Convention on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, becoming the 95th country to sign the Convention.
Addressing the plenary of the 32nd International Conference of the Red Cross & Red Crescent Societies today (9th) in Geneva, Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka in Geneva, has said “there is renewed political commitment and will in my country, to strengthen the national IHL compliance mechanism as well as on advancing measures to prevent and respond to all forms of violence including Sexual and Gender Based Violence (GBV), in a holistic manner”. He further noted that “this is reflective in the clear policy of the current administration to engage positively with the international community, including international organizations”.
Sri Lanka was unanimously elected as Vice-Chair to represent the Asia-Pacific Group on the Governing Council of the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) for 2016. Ambassador of Sri Lanka and Alternate Governor of the Council, Adam M.J. Sadiq was proposed for the post by the Philippines and endorsed by acclamation by the Governing Council which concluded its 2 day meeting in the Hague today (9th December 2015). The Council also approved the appointment of the Second Secretary of the Mission, Ms. Wathsala Indunil Amarasinghe as Alternate Executive Director for the constituency comprising India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka on the CFC Executive Board for 2016-17.
Mr. A.L.Mohamed Lafeer the newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan presented his credentials to His Majesty King Abdulla II Bin Al Hussein, King of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Sunday, 6th December 2015, at the Basman palace of the King. Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Jordan Hon. Nasser Judeh and the Chief of Royal Court Hon. Fayez Tarawneh were also present at the ceremony.
