115th Session of the IOM Council
Regular Migration Pathways: A Global Call for Action
High Level Segment - 26 November 2024
Chair
Director General of IOM
Excellencies
Newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism Vijitha Herath assumed duties at the Foreign Ministry today, 18 November 2024 at a simple ceremony. Senior officials of the Ministry were present on the occasion.
2024 Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW)
Agenda Item 7 – General Exchange of Views
14 November 2024
Mr. President,
Let me begin by congratulating you on the assumption of the Presidency of the 2024 Meeting of High Contracting Parties to the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons. Please be assured of the fullest support and cooperation of the delegation of Sri Lanka for arriving at the desired outcome of this important forum.
Tsunami: Sea Change for Resilience
Special Representative of the Secretary General for Disaster Risk Reduction Mr Kamal Kishore,
Ambassador Oike Atsuyuki, Permanent Representatives of Japan
Ms. Ana Luiza Massot Thompson Flores, Director, UNESCO Liaison Office in Geneva
Ms. Hanna Entwisle Chapuisat, Curator of the exhibition,
Ladies and gentlemen,
I thank the organizers, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO, and the Permanent Mission of Japan, for inviting me to speak on this occasion.
26th December this year marks 20 years since the deadly Indian Ocean tsunami that killed over 230,000 people across 14 countries including my own, Sri Lanka. The tsunami that struck on Boxing Day, is reportedly one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent human history.
34th Conference of the ICRC: ´Navigate Uncertainty, Strengthen Humanity’
28 to 31 October 2024, Geneva
‘For the Record: Voices from the Conference’
Statement by Sri Lanka
Madam Chair
Sri Lanka conveys its deep and profound appreciation to the ICRC, the IFRC and the National Societies for their leading role across the world in forming the largest humanitarian network.
This Conference coincides with the 75th Anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, that codified the fundamental principles of IHL. In line with Sri Lanka's commitment to these principles the National IHL Committee with the technical assistance from the ICRC has translated the Geneva Conventions into the vernacular languages, Sinhala and Tamil.
High Commissioners, Ambassadors, members of the Diplomatic community, UN Resident Coordinator and Heads of International Organisations in Colombo,
Good morning!
I am pleased to meet all of you at this first interaction between myself and the Colombo-based Diplomatic Corps.
Mr. President,
As the country concerned in respect of draft resolution 57/ L.1, as authorized by the newly elected Government in Sri Lanka, let me brief the Council on the latest developments in the country.
Following the model conduct for a free, fair and peaceful election followed by a dignified transition in keeping with our decades of democratic practice, H.E. the President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as the 9th Executive President of Sri Lanka on 23 September.