Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Over 17,457 Overseas Sri Lankans (OSL) had by Saturday noon (28 March), registered on the ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ Online Portal of the Ministry of Foreign Relations. Of these, 6773 are from the Middle East region, 1892 from Europe, 1302 from South Asia, 1028 from North America and over 6000 from other parts of the world.

This portal jointly created by the Ministry of Foreign Relations and the Information & Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) for the benefit of Overseas Sri Lankans, was launched on Thursday (26 March 2020). It is hosted on the Ministry web page www.mfa.gov.lk and can also be accessed at www.contactsrilanka.mfa.gov.lk. A dedicated team of officials have been assigned by the Ministry of Foreign Relations to respond to queries.

A bulk of the 700 inquiries received through ‘Contact Sri Lanka’ so far, relate to the possibility of return to the country. However in light of the special request made by the Government yesterday (27 March) to Sri Lankan expatriates urging them to safely remain where they are now until the risk of  COVID-19 virus is minimized and the disease is contained in Sri Lanka, the Ministry has taken several measures through its Mission network to continue to facilitate and address the immediate concerns of the Overseas Sri Lankans. Other common inquiries include the welfare of student populations, extension of visa, lack of financial support for those unemployed, non-payment of salaries, closing down of commercial establishments and questions on quarantine upon arrival.

Over the past two weeks since disruptions to travel, Sri Lanka Missions abroad have been particularly vigilant and prompt in taking action towards addressing the impending issues faced, particularly by the student populations. Some of the measures put in place included ensuring that hostels remain open, that food supply/provision is maintained by the respective establishments, and that if they require medical assistance they are directed to medical facilities, wherever possible, to seek extensions of university/school payments of students. The Missions have also been directed to maintain close engagement with educational establishments with Sri Lankan students and the student community to continue to provide for their welfare.

With respect to Sri Lankan employees in the Middle East and Asia in particular, Missions will work with host governments to secure fair treatment and concessions for Sri Lankan expatriate workers to the maximum extent possible. This includes safeguarding the rights of the workers in relation to payment of salaries and ensuring job security.

As for the broader population of Sri Lankans, Missions have also been requested to liaise with Sri Lanka Associations, organizations and places of worship established by Sri Lankans, in providing assistance to those Sri Lankans facing difficulty and are in need of assistance in the face of the rapidly evolving situation.  The Missions have been requested to mobilize to provide basic sustenance and medical facilities, in full measure.

Earlier on 18 March, Sri Lanka requested foreign governments to facilitate appropriate visa extensions for Sri Lankans currently visiting their countries, in view of the control measures issued by most countries due to COVID-19. A number of states have positively responded to this request, and the Sri Lanka Missions have been asked to communicate the modalities for this process to those affected, while engaging other host Governments to work out reciprocal arrangements, as Sri Lanka extended this facility to all foreign nationals presently in Sri Lanka since mid-March.

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

28 March 2020

Ms. Maryaam Rehman, Director, British Council

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to deliver this final keynote address at the “Youth in Climate Action” Virtual Conference.  My congratulations to the British Council for organizing this virtual conference on a very timely and important topic, especially as the world eagerly awaits the outcome of the COP 26 which is to commence shortly in Glasgow.

Climate change is no longer a looming threat!  It is real and its devastating impacts are being felt the world over.  Increasing in its intensity over the years, climate change has evolved in to an existential threat to many, causing significant damage to life, property, livelihoods and national economies.  It has given rise to new challenges, such as climate refugees and rendered our future uncertain.

The outlook for the world is not promising. In December last year, the Secretary General of the United Nations urged countries to declare a “climate emergency” and at present over 35 countries have responded to this call. The recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change declaring that we are likely to reach the threshold of 1.5˚C increase in global temperatures by the early 2030s and exceed 2˚C this century, is a strong warning for all of us. Unless we adopt stringent measures to limit global emissions, we place entire humanity is at risk, especially the generations that will follow after us.

It is this future that will be inherited by our younger generation, the world’s youth, who make up 1.8 billion of the global population.  According to the United Nations, it is the largest generation of youth in history. Young people, between the ages of 15-35 years are among the most vulnerable groups in society to the adverse impacts of climate change. As such, their participation is crucial in all our mitigation and adaptation efforts and any initiative seeking solutions for this crisis.

Ladies and gentlemen,

1/4th of Sri Lanka’s population are young people. While youth are the most exposed of social groups to the impacts of this crisis, I firmly believe that they could play an important role as advocates and champions of climate action. They have the potential to be creators of innovative and creative solutions and influence official policies.

Young people the world over, including in Sri Lanka, are making significant contributions towards global efforts on addressing climate change. Our young people too have been instrumental in such efforts, including creating awareness, building resilience and capacity and conducing outreach programmes, both at national and international levels. They have also been involved in promoting sustainable initiatives and participating in efforts to protect the environment and ecosystems.

I am happy to note that several government Ministries and agencies as well as other stakeholders work closely with young people on climate change initiatives in Sri Lanka. The Ministry of Environment has conducted the “Youth Forum on Climate Change” to engage young people in climate change awareness creation processes and to build their capacities to address climate impacts. Youth have also participated in several initiatives led by the Climate Change Secretariat of Sri Lanka.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I understand that our youth have also been engaged in Sri Lanka’s contributions to international processes on climate change. We are keen to ensure that youth are provided the opportunity to engage in these global climate policy processes and continue to support those who are engaged in such activities. It is indeed admirable that these youth have been able to highlight at international fora, climate action efforts undertaken by the country and young people such as themselves, thereby confirming the valuable role they play as advocates for climate change initiatives.

Sri Lanka’s youth have continued to shine on global platforms promoting climate action. They participated at the recent “Youth4Climate Summit” which was concluded last month in Italy, as part of the Pre-COP activities. I understand that they were actively engaged in promoting youth positions related to thematic areas of the youth declaration, which will be presented at COP26 on 5th November, during the day of youth in the COP Presidency Agenda. Sri Lanka will also be represented by youth who will be engaged in activities of the COP negotiations, as well as the Conference of Youth which will be held from 28th to 31st of October in Glasgow.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Youth remain one of the key elements in our fight against climate change.  It is imperative that we support them in their efforts to deal with this crisis. I understand that the British Council studies have revealed that the awareness among the young people of Sri Lanka regarding climate, particularly in rural areas, is mostly limited to their personal experiences with adverse climatic conditions. As such, they could benefit from a greater understanding and awareness regarding this crisis. It is our responsibility to ensure that all youth are provided with in-depth knowledge of the implications of climate change, so that they are empowered with the relevant tools to meet this challenge.

This can be achieved by increasing climate literacy and creating spaces for youth to be engaged effectively in climate action related processes.  As such, I understand that the topic of climate change is being considered to be included as a topic in Sri Lanka’s education system by the Ministry of High Education. This is in recognition of the fact that environment and climate related literacy and skills need to be integrated to the education process at all levels.

In addition to the formal education system, the media could also make a substantial contribution towards creating awareness among youth on issues relating to climate change. They could also highlight and support youth action on climate change, especially to carry the message to a greater audience. Such publicity will serve to motivate other youth and also provide them with successful examples of climate action initiatives undertaken by young people.

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is important to recognize the adverse impact that climate change has on different economic sectors and how youth engaged in employment in these areas will be affected.  Climate change will result in new jobs being created and existing jobs to be adapted to suite changing climates, which have an impact on communities and ecosystems.  For example, some youth may no longer be able to engage in traditional livelihoods which their parents practiced such as those relating to agriculture or fisheries, impacted as they may be by climate change.

As such, new jobs such as those relating to information technology and other avenues, such as the creative economy, hold vast potential for young people.  My State Ministry is currently focusing on these new opportunities of employment that are arising for young people, such as those relating to e-commerce or creative economic activities, that are not impacted by issues such as climate change.

In conclusion, I strongly believe that Sri Lanka’s youth have the ability to create innovative and creative solutions to address the impacts of climate change that we could showcase to the world.  To do that, they need our support and encouragement. It is why initiatives such as this virtual conference is so important for today’s youth.

Let me conclude with a quote from Earnest Hemingway:

“The earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.”

Thank you!

(https://mfa.gov.lk/final-keynote-address-sm/)

Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha has requested foreign governments to facilitate the appropriate extension of visas for Sri Lankans currently visiting their countries, and facing difficulty to return to Sri Lanka on account of the travel bans that have and will become applicable as part of the control measures on COVID- 19. He noted that the Government of Sri Lanka had on Tuesday (17 March) announced a one-month extension of all types of visas for those foreign nationals presently in the country, from the date of expiry of their present visas. He said such reciprocal arrangements were a common practice, and hoped that this could be facilitated for Sri Lankans, to minimize the anxieties faced by those travelling, in these exceptional times.

Foreign Secretary Aryasinha made these observations today (18 March), when he addressed a group of Ambassadors from Western Hemisphere, as part of the series of briefing sessions to keep the diplomatic community informed of the developments with regard to measures taken by Sri Lanka to control the spread of COVID-19.

While appreciating the supportive role played by the respective governments on assisting the Sri Lankan communities in their countries, the Foreign Secretary shared with the envoys present, the current status regards foreign nationals in Sri Lanka and some difficulties experienced by Sri Lankans overseas. He said, recognizing the concerns at present, all Sri Lanka diplomatic outposts now serve as emergency response units, where only limited consular and other services are continued to be offered amid the current challenges.

Concerns of foreign missions in Colombo over their citizens, facilities at the quarantine centres, and proper communication channels, were effectively responded to by the local stake holders present. The meeting also reached consensus on the smooth departure of foreign nationals, notwithstanding the closure of the airport for those seeking to enter Sri Lanka.

The envoys expressed appreciation for the efforts of the government in handling the situation, including extension of visas for their nationals, and assured that the request to reciprocate the same for Sri Lankans travelling in their countries will be communicated to their respective governments.

Arrangements are being made for the smooth return of foreign nationals who are presently in Sri Lanka on tourist and other visa categories. This will be done using both regular flight movements operating through Sri Lanka and also charter flights that may be deployed, as the airport remains open for outbound passenger movements.

Modalities to facilitate these movements were was discussed today at a meeting chaired by Secretary Foreign Relations, Ravinatha Aryasinha. The meeting was attended by the Ambassadors representing the western hemisphere as well as representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Police Department, Department of Immigration, Airport and Aviation Services, Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, Civil Aviation and Sri Lankan Airlines.

In view of the curfew which has been imposed, the Acting Inspector General of Police has assured that the air ticket could be used in lieu of a curfew pass for the passengers as well as the vehicle and driver that would be transporting the passengers. Chairman SLTPB said reputed taxi networks and hoteliers have been requested to assist in these movements.

During the meeting, the diplomats present drew attention to the continuing difficulties faced by their nationals presently in the country on account of negative reactions experienced by tourists on some occasions from both owners of tourist lodgings as well as sections of the general public. The Sri Lankan agencies present emphasized that public measures would be taken to ensure Sri Lanka’s traditional hospitality to foreign nationals in these difficult circumstances.

Special telephones lines have been set up to ensure that such instances will be reported promptly and dealt with.

Special contact facilities have also been provided to those foreign nationals who are being moved to the quarantine centres.

Following the appeal made by Sri Lanka earlier this week, the representatives of several governments informed that they had taken steps to extend visas of Sri Lankans abroad whose visas would have or will expire shortly. The Foreign Ministry was assured by the other countries that its request was receiving the highest consideration in other capitals. Earlier, Sri Lanka extended visas for all visiting foreign nationals by one month.

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

20 March 2020