Newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath assumed duties at the Ministry today (25 September 2024) at a simple ceremony. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane and senior officials of the Ministry were present.
As a Member of Parliament, Minister Herath has represented the Gampaha District since 2000. He had also previously served as the Minister of Cultural Affairs & National Heritage.
Minister Herath holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Kelaniya.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
25 September 2024
Together, Let’s Build Our Nation
-President’s Media Division, Published on: September 23, 2024-
Honourable Anura Kumara Dissanayake was sworn in as the 9th Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka today (23).
He was ceremonially sworn in before Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
Twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions
10 – 13 September 2024
Statement by Sri Lanka
Agenda Item 8: General Exchange of Views
Madam President
Distinguished Delegates
Sri Lanka extends its warm congratulations to Her Excellency Francisca E. Méndez Escobar, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Mexico for assuming the Presidency of the Twelfth Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions. I assure you the fullest support of the delegation of Sri Lanka in achieving a productive and meaningful outcome of this meeting.
Mr. President,
High Commissioner for Human Rights,
Excellencies,
As this Council deliberates on the comprehensive report on Sri Lanka, presented by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, I wish to reiterate Sri Lanka’s longstanding commitment to constructive engagement with this Council , the Universal Declaration and the related Treaties as well as other human rights mechanisms to which we are party.
Statement by Sri Lanka
Second session of the 2024 CCW Group of Governmental Experts on Emerging Technologies in the Area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (GGE on LAWS),
26-30 August 2024
Agenda Item 5
Mr. Chair
Distinguished delegates
First, let me congratulate and express our gratitude to the Chair for the continued work in advancing the dialogue on Lethal and Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS) as well as for the preparatory work of the second session of the GGE on LAWS. We appreciate the ‘rolling text’ presented by the Chair on a set of elements of an instrument to facilitate the discussions of this session.
On 22 August 2024, Sri Lanka shared the lessons learned on the establishment of National Inventory of Dangerous Pathogens (NIDP) at a side event during the 4th session of the Working Group on Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention(BWC) held in Geneva. Dr. Priyantha Athapattu, Director, Tertiary Care Services/Deputy Director General (Laboratory Services) of Ministry of Health joining the panel discussion online elaborated Sri Lanka's experience, challenges and best practices in implementing NIDP. The event was co-hosted by the Netherlands, Cambodia, Mongolia, Uganda and Sri Lanka.
- Statement by Her Excellency Himalee Arunatilaka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva at the 2nd Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of
- Statement by Sri Lanka at the 2nd Preparatory Committee for the 2026 Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, 22 July – 02 August 2024 ( Item 4 - General debate )
- Intersessional Meeting of the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention (APMBC), on 18-20 June 2024