The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) hosted Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam, US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Biswal and US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labour Tom Malinowski for a discussion on Sri Lanka titled “Towards Sustainable Peace in Sri Lanka: The Opportunities Ahead” on December 1st. The discussion was moderated by President of USIP Nancy Lindborg. Participation was by invitation only.
High Commissioner Somasundaram Skandakumar called on Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on 30th November at her office in the Parliament House. Issues of mutual bilateral interest and potential for further enhancement of the economic partnership between the two countries and the strong people to people links were discussed. The High Commissioner briefed on the positive developments taking place in Sri Lanka and the Government's initiatives towards reconciliation and engaging with the wider Sri Lankan diaspora community. He also referred to the recent Policy statement made by the Prime Minister to create one million jobs, attract investments and encourage exports.
Sri Lanka was unanimously elected as the Chair of the Budget Committee of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) at the 192nd Administrative Council Meeting held at the Peace Palace in the Hague yesterday, 1st December 2015. The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Netherlands, Adam M.J. Sadiq was proposed for this post by Dr. Liesbeth Lijnzaad, Legal Adviser of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who chaired the meeting which elected Ambassador Sadiq by acclamation.
Sri Lanka today (1st December 2015) urged the world community to stand firm and united in combating terrorism. This call was made when Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Netherlands and Permanent Representative to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Adam M.J. Sadiq addressed the 20th Session of the Conference of the States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention in the Hague.
State Minister of Agriculture Hon. Wasantha Aluwihare led the Sri Lanka delegation comprising senior officials from the Ministries of Primary Industries and Agriculture to the Global Saemaul Leadership Forum (GSLF) 2015 held in Daegu, Republic of Korea, from 24 to 27 November 2015, on the invitation of the Korean Government. At the Forum, the State Minister appreciated the close cooperation existing between Sri Lanka and Korea on the Saemaul Undong (SMU) programme, in agriculture development, as well as in training and capacity building.
Mr. Juergen Weerth has assumed responsibilities as the new Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka to North Rhine - Westphalia with consular jurisdiction covering the regions of Bergisches Land, Cologne Lowland, Lower Rhine, Münsterland, North Eifel, Ruhr, Sauerland – Siegerland and Teutoburg Forest. On behalf of Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Ambassador Karunatilaka Amunugama handed over the Commission of Appointment to Mr. Juergen Weerth on 18th November 2015 at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Berlin.
Dr. Saman Weerasinghe, the newly appointed Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, presented his Credentials to the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, in the Alexandrovsky Hall of the Great Kremlin Palace in Moscow on Thursday, 26th November 2015. Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov was also present at the Ceremony.
