Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Representative of Sri Lanka to the State of Palestine Nawalage Bennet Cooray presented Letters of Credence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Palestine Dr. Riad Al-Malki at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in Ramallah, Palestine on 03 August, 2021.

During the meeting, that followed the presentation of Letters of Credence, Minister Al-Malki appreciated the longstanding ties with Sri Lanka and stated that Palestine is keen to expand the scope of bilateral cooperation in various aspects, especially with the development projects of the Palestinian International Cooperation Agency (PICA) and reactivating the Sri Lankan project “the Mahinda Rajapaksa Vocational Training Centre in Beitunia”.

Representative Cooray conveying greetings and best wishes from Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to Minister Al-Malki, expressed the commitment of Sri Lanka to further advance and strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Representative Cooray pointed out that due to the prevailing global pandemic, it would take a while to process the starting of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Vocational Training Centre.

Minister Al-Malki expressed his gratitude for the support extended and the stance of the Sri Lankan Government on the Palestinian cause and Palestinian people in all international fora.

Representative Cooray stressed the solidarity that Sri Lanka shares with Palestine and its people and their right to establish an independent state.  He expressed his willingness to strength the special relations nurtured between Sri Lanka and Palestine covering a multitude of areas.

Representative Office of Sri Lanka
Ramallah

09 August 2021

Addressing the first International Forum on COVID-19 Vaccine Cooperation held virtually on 05 August 2021, Foreign Minister Gunawardena called for enhanced global efforts to forge closer cooperation between countries to enable the availability and affordability of COVID-19 vaccines to everyone in line with SDG 3 target to ensure access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.

While highlighting GoSL’s success in vaccinating more than 90% of its population over the age of 30 with the first dose of vaccination, Minister Gunawardena underlined that there still remained significant inequalities in vaccination programs across the world, that need to be remedied  to successfully defeat the COVID-19 pandemic.

Towards this end, Minister Gunawardena thanked both bilateral and international partners, particularly China for the timely supply of over 10 million vaccines including the gift of 2.7 million Sinopharm vaccines to Sri Lanka’s vaccination campaign.

Foreign Minister also urged closer cooperation on research and product enhancement to maintain the quality of vaccine manufacturing.

The Forum, which was chaired by the Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi was attended by the UN Secretary General, Director General of the WHO, Foreign Ministers and Health Ministers of 24 countries, representatives of GAVI, CEPI and vaccine manufacturers. A Joint Statement on advancing vaccine cooperation was also released by the participants following the meeting.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

06 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/fm-1covid-forum/)

High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay called on Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on 03 August, 2021.

Minister Gunawardena thanked the government and the people of India for extending assistance to Sri Lanka in combating the COVID 19 pandemic and appraised the opening of the country for economic activities. The High Commissioner Baglay also appreciated Sri Lanka for lifting entry restrictions imposed on Indians if they are fully vaccinated as lifting of such restrictions would provide immense benefits for Sri Lanka’s tourism industry and the economy as a whole.

During the discussion, a joint commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of Independence of India and Sri Lanka was proposed in view of celebrating the centuries old cultural values shared between the two countries. Commemorating this milestone which consists of cultural and religious events such as Buddhist pilgrims' programmes and more importantly bringing down sacred Buddhist relics from India to Sri Lanka, which would the bilateral relations to flourish further.

The Minister Gunawardena underscored the government's priority in the field of renewable energy and he invited Indian private sector investments in the sustainable energy sector in Sri Lanka. While endorsing the Government’s move, High Commissioner Baglay stated that Indian investors are keen to invest in the renewable energy sector, especially in solar energy.

A wide range of areas of mutual interest such as the joint commission on renewable energy, air connectivity, mutual trade and investment ventures, technical cooperation for digitalizing Sri Lankan movies and regional cooperation in the BIMSTEC were also discussed in length.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

05 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/india-slfm/)

The Programme on Decentralization of Consular Services within the purview of the Foreign Ministry is underway. Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage points out that this Programme is being conducted under the instructions and guidance of the Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, in accordance with the scheme by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to bring public services to the village. Secretary Colombage also points out that the three Regional Consular offices in Kandy, Trincomalee and Kurunegala districts have been dedicated to public service in the previous ten months under the present Government and that preliminary action has been taken to establish two other Regional offices in Badulla and Ampara districts before the end of this year.

“More than two thousand people from different areas of the country arrive at the Consular Division of the Foreign Ministry in Colombo daily to obtain Consular services and the Ministry has been obliged to limit public visits and impose restrictions for not having the services rendered without a prior appointment on account of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. In view of providing relief to those who become uncomfortable due to this condition, the Foreign Ministry has taken action to establish Regional Consular offices at provincial level as one of its initial steps. These Regional Consular Services are able to perform special services including facilitating payment of compensation, unpaid salaries, social security entitlements for the Sri Lankan migrant employees and their next of kin, bringing back to the country the dead bodies of Sri Lankan nationals who have passed away, authenticating the certificates and documents, getting the fishing vessels and fishermen in foreign custody released, registration of births and deaths occurring abroad and assisting in bringing back the deserted Sri Lankans abroad. Preliminary activities are being carried out to establish the Badulla and Ampara offices within this year amidst financial difficulties, on the instructions given by President Rajapaksa to make public services closer to people in villages.  Secretary Colombage further mentioned that the Provincial Councils and Local Government Authorities also provide a huge support for this program.’’

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

05 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/regional-consular/)

New Zealand and Sri Lanka’s Foreign Ministers, Nanaia Mahuta and Dinesh Gunawardena, have welcomed the opening of the New Zealand High Commission in Colombo next week.

The Foreign Ministers, who met virtually yesterday, spoke about the opening of the High Commission as a major milestone in the bilateral relationship. Both Ministers stressed that New Zealand's diplomatic presence in Sri Lanka is a further affirmation of the significance of the steadily expanding bilateral engagement in recent times.

“Our countries and our peoples have been good friends for over 70 years, including through New Zealand’s early commitment to the Colombo Plan in 1950,” Minister Mahuta said. “Sri Lanka and New Zealand have a lot in common, as diverse, island nations making our way in a complex geostrategic world.”

“The opening of our High Commission in Colombo is a signal of New Zealand’s long-term commitment to Sri Lanka, in realms as varied as the strategic, economic, educational, cultural, sporting and people-to-people. There’s still a lot of potential to realise in our relationship, and the new High Commission is New Zealand’s recognition of that.”

Minister Gunawardena appreciated the opening of the New Zealand High Commission as a timely move as “our two countries work together in a geostrategically more complex region”. He expressed confidence that it would contribute to the advancement of bilateral trade while also supporting efforts at promoting investments. "Sri Lanka stands for and encourages safe, orderly and regular migration, and welcomes potential investors and tourists from New Zealand,” emphasized Minister Gunawardena.

Minister Gunawardena also recalled the history of close bilateral relations between Sri Lanka and New Zealand and the visit to Sri Lanka of New Zealand Prime Minister Walter Nash during the tenure of Minister’s Gunawardena’s late father Philip Gunawardena as Minister of Agriculture and Food in 1958. Prime Minister Nash’s visit featured the opening of the National Milk Board and the Dental Training Institute funded by the New Zealand Government under the Colombo Plan.

Ministers Mahuta and Gunawardena also discussed the (virtual) ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Foreign Ministers Meeting on Friday 6 August.

The New Zealand High Commission in Colombo is due to open on Tuesday 10 August. An official opening ceremony will take place in due course, once conditions permit.

Colombo

04 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/new-zealand-fm/)

The Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) of Sri Lanka received eight (08) BeachTech Hydro Sweepy beach cleaning machinery worth about US$180,000, donated by Singapore-based global non-profit, the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (Alliance). The donation was formally handed over by Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage to State Minister of Coast Conservation & Low-Lying Lands Development Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva, and Chairperson of Marine Environment Protection Authority Dharshani Lahandapura at a ceremony held today.

BeachTech Hydro Sweepy beach cleaning machines manufactured by Kässbohrer Geländefahrzeug AG, a company in Germany, are capable of effectively and efficiently cleaning up the plastic nurdles and other types of waste. Another advantage of the machine is that beach clean-up can be done in a safe manner minimizing the human contact with hazardous materials.

These machines are expected to help with the clean-up of plastic waste from the ship X-Press Pearl, which sank off Sri Lanka’s West Coast in May 2021 causing significant environmental damage. The donation was coordinated by the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore.

The Alliance reached out to the High Commission in June this year as it is a Global Non- Profit that focuses on ending plastic waste in the environment globally and were concerned about the impact of plastic pellets from the X-Press Pearl incident and its possible impact on the marine environment.

The initial discussions on assistance from the Alliance was held virtually with the participation of  High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Singapore Sashikala Premawardhane, Director General/ Ocean Affairs, Environment and Climate Change of the Foreign Ministry Hasanthi Dissanayake, the General Manager of the Marine Environment Protection Authority (MEPA) Dr. Terney Pradeep Kumara, and Alliance representatives Vice President of Projects Nicholas  Kolesch, Head of Outreach and Education  Kim Stengert, and  Head, Government and Public Affairs Ravi Alfreds.

The coordination effort of getting the machines to Sri Lanka involved officials from the Sri Lanka High Commission in Singapore, Sri Lanka Consulate General in Frankfurt, Foreign Ministry, MEPA and SriLankan Airlines. Chairman SriLankan Airlines Ashok Pathirage agreed to transport the machinery from Frankfurt to Colombo on gratis basis and Regional Manager Sri Lankan Airlines Mohan Meegolle supported by coordinating the arrangements of the airlift. Chairperson/MEPA Dharshani Lahandapura and her team facilitated both the initial discussions and the processes involved in donating of the equipment.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore extends its appreciation to President and CEO Jacob Duer and the team from the Alliance for offering assistance towards Sri Lanka’s beach clean-up efforts with the donation of BeachTech Sweepy machines and looks forward to working with the “The Alliance to End Plastic Waste”, in furthering partnerships and building networks to protect the marine environment of the country.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

02 August 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/mepa-alliance/)

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena expressed his gratitude to the Government of Japan and its people on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka for donating over 1.4 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines to Sri Lanka at the request of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, under the COVAX facility. He made these special comments speaking at a media briefing at the Katunayaka Bandaranaike International Airport on Saturday (31/07) afternoon, after receiving the first consignment of the AstraZeneca vaccines (over 700, 000) donated by Japan.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa wrote to the Prime Minister of Japan requesting for a consignment of AstraZeneca vaccines to save the people of Sri Lanka from the COVID pandemic. Following this request, Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Japan Sanjiv Gunasekara under the guidance of Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Sugiyama Akira worked towards realizing this donation along with the UNICEF and the WHO in Sri Lanka. The Chief Sangha Nayaka of Japan Ven. Banagala Upatissa Nayaka Thero also assisted in this effort. Minister Gunawardena said that this consignment of vaccines will be used primarily to give the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine to the 490,000 people in the country who had received the first dose.

This consignment of vaccines, brought to the Katunayake Bandaranaike International Airport aboard a SriLankan Airlines flight UL 455 arrived from Narita Airport, Japan last Saturday afternoon, was received by Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena accompanied by Ambassador of Japan to Sri Lanka Sugiyama Akira, Minister of Health Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi, Minister of State Prof. Channa Jayasumana, Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga, Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage, officials from the Health Ministry, and representatives from UNICEF, WHO and other dignitaries.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

02 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/japan-sl/)