Sri Lanka concluded its 4th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) during the 42nd Session of the UPR Working Group on Wednesday 1st February in Geneva. Sri Lanka’s National Report was prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with input from government ministries and agencies through an inclusive and broad-based process where civil society organizations and the National Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka were also consulted.
The UPR is conducted as a review mechanism by the UPR Working Group of the UN Human Rights Council in four year cycles. Sri Lanka’s last UPR review was in 2017.
Delivering the opening statement via a pre-recorded statement, the Head of Delegation, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry highlighted the progress and achievements made by Sri Lanka since its last review including the implementation of the recommendations accepted. Sri Lanka envisages 2023, the 75th anniversary of independence, to be a year of socio-economic stabilization, reconciliation, and recovery. The Minister also said that “it is important to learn from the past, and it is equally important to move on, to build better and stronger.”
The Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Himalee Arunatilaka highlighted legislative and policy measures implemented by Sri Lanka during the reporting period including the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, strengthening efforts on the reconciliation processes and the national independent institutions.
Sri Lanka concluded its Review under the 4th Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in Geneva, today.
Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, as the leader of the Sri Lanka delegation, delivered the remarks through a pre-recorded video statement.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
1 February, 2023
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Pre-recorded video statement by the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs Fourth Cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of Sri Lanka
Geneva, 1 February 2023
Mr. President,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
It is a privilege for me to welcome all of you to Sri Lanka’s Review under the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review.
The year 2023 is a milestone for the global human rights architecture. We are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and also the 30th anniversary of the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The mechanism of the UPR marks the culmination of a long review process of the international human rights machinery. We value the fact that this mechanism provides an equal opportunity for all UN member States, without discrimination, to voluntarily share the progress made domestically to promote and protect human rights. This peer review process has contributed to reducing selectivity and politicization in our efforts to advance the cause of human rights. It enables constructive engagement on developments related to human rights with our international partners, national independent institutions, civil society, and the UN system.
Mr. President,
Madam Acting High Commissioner,
Excellencies,
At the outset, on behalf of our Government, I reiterate our unwavering commitment towards advancing, securing and protecting the human rights of our people, and continuing our engagement with the Council in a spirit of cooperation and dialogue. In keeping with our commitment, notwithstanding our categorical rejection of resolution 46/1, we have submitted Sri Lanka’s detailed written response to the High Commissioner’s Report. We have requested that Sri Lanka’s Comments be placed as an Addendum to the Report, to accord with best practices.
Mr. President,
We remain cognizant of and acutely sensitive to the events that have taken place in the recent past. The severe economic crisis emanating from factors both internal and external offer many lessons for all of us. We recall in this context the indivisibility of human rights, as enshrined in the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action. The Government is extremely sensitive to the socio-economic hardships faced by our people, and has initiated immediate multi-pronged measures to address the challenges and to ensure their wellbeing through the provision of supplies essential to the life of the community. A staff level agreement has been reached with the International Monetary Fund, and discussions on debt restructuring are in progress. The Government is in dialogue with UN agencies as well as bilateral partners to protect the most vulnerable from the adverse impacts of the crisis. In spite of multiple challenges, Sri Lanka would endeavour to remain on course in meeting the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Foreign Affairs, met the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Secretary General of the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Permanent Representatives of China, the European Union, Australia, Republic of Korea, Germany, Netherlands and Jordan in Geneva on the sidelines of the 50th session of the UN Human Rights Council.
At the meeting with Michelle Bachelet, High Commissioner for Human Rights, Minister Peiris assured the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka’s continued active engagement with the international system including the Human Rights Council, in a candid and transparent manner. The Foreign Minister also described in detail the results achieved on the ground by local mechanisms including the Office of Missing Persons, the Office for Reparations, the Office for National Unity and Reconciliation, the SDG Council as well as independent institutions such as the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka. Foreign Minister Peiris informed the High Commissioner that the invitation to undertake an official visit to Sri Lanka extended previously, still stands. He also wished her well on her upcoming retirement, announced at the beginning of the current session.
Mr. President,
Sri Lanka has regularly shared our progress and challenges in an open exchange with this Council and other organs of the United Nations. It is in this spirit of transparency, candour and openness that I make this address to the current session of the Council.
The international community is aware of the grave social and economic situation that Sri Lanka has been faced with in recent weeks. While this situation has been aggravated by ongoing global crises including the pandemic, the focus of the protests has consisted of demands for economic relief and institutional reform. In recognition of these challenges and in moving forward in an inclusive manner, we consider it crucial to heed the aspirations of all segments of our people, in particular, the youth.
At the Interactive Dialogue on the written update of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka, which concluded on 7 March 2022, Sri Lanka received overwhelming support from countries of the Global South who expressed support for the Government’s significant efforts towards reconciliation and reiterated the importance of objective and constructive cooperation as the fundamental basis for multilateral engagement.
Of the 45 countries that spoke at the Interactive Dialogue, 31 spoke in support of Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka received cross-regional support from a broad spectrum of states of South, South East and Central Asia and the African Group. The 31 countries that spoke in favour of Sri Lanka were Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Philippines, Nepal, Kenya, Ethiopia, Maldives, China, Cuba, Japan, Syrian Arab Republic, Viet Nam, DPRK, Venezuela, Nigeria, Pakistan, Cambodia, the Russian Federation, Lebanon, Uganda, Belarus, Zimbabwe, Eritrea, South Sudan, Lao PDR, Yemen, Iran, Niger, Kazakhstan, Bangladesh and Azerbaijan.
Mr. President,
The Resolution 46/1 on Sri Lanka was adopted by a divided vote in this Council. Sri Lanka and other Member States opposed this resolution in fundamental disagreement with its deeply flawed procedure and unacceptable content, in particular its OP para 6 regarding a so-called evidence-gathering mechanism. The Resolution was directly contrary to the Council’s founding principles of impartiality, objectivity and non-selectivity. It went well beyond the mandate that Member States conferred on it by UNGA Resolution 60/251. I have stated Sri Lanka’s views on this matter to this Council on 01 March. We also submitted in a timely manner our comments on the High Commissioner’s report. We note with regret that the Secretariat failed to publish this simultaneously with the High Commissioner’s written update.
Despite our rejection of the resolution, we will continue our voluntary international undertakings on human rights and engage with the United Nations, including with this Council. As stated by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa of Sri Lanka to our Parliament on 18 January 2022, “We are a nation that respects international laws and conventions”. We have regularly shared our progress and challenges in a candid and open exchange with this Council and other relevant organs of the United Nations system.
- 49th session of the Human Rights Council High Level Segment Statement by Hon. Prof. G.L. Peiris, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
- Statement by Hon. Foreign Minister of Sri Lanka at the 48th Regular Session of the UN Human Rights Council, 14 September 2021, Geneva
- Statement delivered by Sri Lanka during the Quadrennial panel discussion on promoting human rights through sport and the Olympic ideal at the 47th session of the Human Rights Council