Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

According to instructions received from Sri Lanka Health Authorities, all international Airports in Sri Lanka will be closed for operation of inward international commercial passenger flights (i.e arrivals) with effect from 0400hrs on 19 March 2020 (local time in Sri Lanka) until 2359hrs on 25 March 2020 (local time in Sri Lanka).

The closure will be reviewed by the Sri Lanka Authorities.

During the above mentioned restricted period the following will be permitted:

1. Aircraft Departures with passengers originating from Colombo, Stop overs, transit passengers or visiting tourists.
2. Emergency Diversions to Bandaranaike International Airport
3. Freighter Operations and humanitarian flights to Bandaranaike International Airport
4. Technical landings at Bandaranaike International Airport
5. Inbound ferry flights (without passengers) at Bandaranaike International Airport

On the instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Sri Lanka, all services offered by the Consular section of the High Commission in Ottawa and the Consulate General in Toronto will be suspended with immediate effect until further notice.

Consular services connected to death or any other service deemed absolutely essential, would be offered only by prior appointment.

Any requests for appointments can be made by contacting the High Commission as follows;

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Consulate General in Toronto: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sri Lanka High Commission

Ottawa

17.03.2020

The Government of Sri Lanka has temporarily suspended all types of visa issuance to enter Sri Lanka for two weeks with immediate effect to nationals of most affected countries, including Canada.

All types of Electronic Travel Authorization (ETA), Entry Visas, Landing Endorsements, Multiple Entry Visas and Residence Visas already granted to Canadian nationals will be temporarily suspended and they will not be allowed to enter Sri Lanka for two weeks with effect from 23.59hrs (local time in Sri Lanka) on 17 March 2020 to 24.00 hrs (local time in Sri Lanka) on 31 March 2020.

This restriction does not apply to Diplomatic, Official and Service Passport holders.

 

Sri Lanka High Commission

Ottawa

16.03.2020

Towards limiting the transmission of COVID-19 and to ensure effective implementation of the travel restrictions imposed on the newly designated countries,  the Ministry of Foreign Relations has initiated action to regulate the consular services with effect from 15^th March midnight 1259 hrs in Brussels, London and Oslo.

The decision stems from the fact that the Government has renewed the list of designated countries adding three more destinations and to ably support the efforts at restricting all inbound travels of personnel from point of origins deemed potentially threatening and contemplating lockdown. 

Accordingly, from 16 March 2020, consular services offered by Sri Lanka Missions will be limited to issuance of emergency travel documents, issuance of certification and related documents connected to death, and any other emergency services considered necessary.  These services will be extended by the respective Missions on a case by case basis and strictly with a prior appointment secured from Missions in order to avoid unnecessary concentration of Sri Lankans or foreigners in Mission premises.  

Ministry of Foreign Relations                                                                                                                                                                                       

Colombo                                

15 March 2020

Further to the Ministry comment yesterday (14 March 2020), regarding one of the family members of an officer of the Foreign Relations Ministry being diagnosed with COVID -19, and the series of precautionary measures taken to avoid and minimize the possible risk of transmission of the virus, the Ministry wishes to update the following:

It is firmly asserted that the Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and members of the Sri Lanka delegation to the recent Human Rights Council Meeting in Geneva had only interacted with the Foreign Ministry official concerned prior to the officer’s sole contact with the affected family member who was already travelling in Europe on a private engagement, during the period of 29 Feb - 1 March 2020.

Minister Gunawardena has also not come in to contact with the said officer, following the officer’s own return to Colombo on 8th March 2020.

The officer concerned had arrived at the Ministry only on one working day during the week starting 9th March which was prior to the return of the infected family member to Colombo which happened a few days later from the officer’s arrival.

Nevertheless, as a precautionary step, all staff who have come in to contact with the officer concerned, during this one working day last week, staff and family members residing in the Ministry quarters where the officer and family member reside and the staff of the Geneva Permanent Mission where the officer concerned was working during the previous 2 weeks, have been advised to ‘self-quarantine’.

Further action has been taken to disinfect the relevant areas of the Ministry and the quarters.

Presently the Ministry official is in good health.

The Ministry will continue to monitor and assess the situation to ensure the safety of its staff, its visitors and the general public.

 

Ministry of Foreign Relations

Colombo

15 March 2020

Sri Lanka will lead the Science, Technology and Innovation sector in the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). A BIMSTEC Facility for Technology Transfer is planned to be opened in Sri Lanka in the future.  Sri Lanka will also appoint a Director to the BIMSTEC Secretariat in June this year.

This was agreed during the finalization of areas of cooperation among BIMSTEC Member States during the 20^th Session of the Senior Officials’ Meeting (SoM) Chaired by Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha on 3 March 2020. The SOM was preceded by the 3^rd Permanent Working Committee Meeting (BPWC) Chaired by Additional Secretary (Economic Affairs) P.M. Amza, from 1 to 2 March 2020 at the Ministry of Foreign Relations.

Sri Lanka is mandated to lead the sector on Science, Technology and Innovation under which cooperation in Technology, health and human resource development is also included. Bangladesh was mandated to lead Trade, Investment and Development, Bhutan - Environment and Climate Change, Myanmar - Agriculture and Food Security, India - Security (Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime, Disaster Management & Energy), Nepal - People to people contact (culture, tourism, forums of Think Thanks, Media etc) and Thailand - Connectivity. BIMSTEC Charter which is the institutional mechanism to effectively steer the process of regional cooperation under BIMSTEC was also finalized and is expected to be adopted at the 5^th BIMSTEC Summit.

Read more: Sri Lanka will lead Science, Technology and Innovation Sector in BIMSTEC

43^rd Session of the Human Rights Council – High Level Segment

Statement by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Foreign Relations of

Sri Lanka

26 February 2020

Madam President

Madam High Commissioner

Ladies and gentlemen,

As this Council is aware, in November 2019, the people of Sri Lanka gave a resounding mandate to President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, to pursue a policy framework aimed at achieving the “four-fold outcome of a productive citizenry; a contented family, a disciplined, a just society and a prosperous nation”^[1]. It is envisaged to achieve sustainable development and peace in the country, firmly anchored in safeguarding “national security without compromising the democratic space available to our people”[2].

It was over a decade ago, on 18 May 2009, that Sri Lanka defeated LTTE terrorism militarily, bringing to an end three decades of conflict and suffering. The end of the brutal conflict advanced, secured and protected one of the fundamental human rights - the ‘right to life’ for all Sri Lankans- Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims and others. I would like to state with pride that since May 2009, not a bullet has been fired in the name of separatist terrorism in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka never had any illusion that the end of the conflict against the LTTE terrorists, will overnight convert to a lasting peace. Although Sri Lanka was not a case of nation building, like many conflict situations that this Council is dealing with, we were mindful that Sri Lanka needed certain reviews and strengthening of existing structures, as part of a sustainable peace and reconciliation programme.

The government led by the then President Mahinda Rajapaksa, of which the current President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, initiated a sustainable reconciliation process in Sri Lanka to bring about ‘healing and peace building’, taking due cognizance of the ground realities at that time. This was viewed as an incremental and inclusive process, as it had taken even better-resourced countries several decades to address and achieve.

Read more: 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council – High Level Segment Statement by Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Foreign Relations of Sri Lanka