Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Speaking at the 7^th Bali Process Ministerial Conference on people smuggling, human trafficking, and other international crimes on Tuesday 7 August in Bali, Indonesia, Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana reiterated Sri Lanka's commitment for a comprehensive regional approach to combat people smuggling, and to work in partnership with governments, international organizations and civil society to prevent human smuggling, protect and support victims, and bring perpetrators to justice.

Following deliberations at Ministerial and Senior Officials level, the Conference adopted a Ministerial Declaration and Chairman's Statement of the Senior Officials' meeting.

While recognizing the importance of the UN system, and other multilateral organizations as vehicles for international discourse and norm setting, the Minister expressed support to the Bali Process and to implement Sri Lanka's legal obligations with respect to combating migrant smuggling, trafficking in persons and transnational crimes. The Minister explained steps being taken by Sri Lanka including being party to the core international human rights treaties which provide for the prevention and suppression of human trafficking, noting in particular the ratification of the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime and its 2015 Protocol, and The Hague Convention on the Protection of Children and Cooperation in Respect of Inter-country Adoption. He also referred to the monitoring mechanisms under Sri Lanka's National Anti- Human Trafficking Task force and the five-year strategic plan (2015-2019) based on the 4 pillars of Prevention, Protection, Prosecution and Partnership, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Foreign Minister Marapana was joined by Deputy Minister of Justice, Prison Reforms, and Buddha Sasana, Sarathi Dushmantha, who led Sri Lanka's interventions at the Ministerial session with Business leaders.

The Minister held bilateral discussions with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia (Mdm) Retno Marsudi, Australia's Home Affairs, Immigration and Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton, and IOM's Director General Ambassador William Lacy Swing.

During his remarks at the Conference and during his interactions with Indonesia's Foreign Minister (Mdm) Retno Marsudi, Minister Marapana conveyed Sri Lanka's condolences to all those who have been affected by the devastating earthquake off the island of Lombok in Indonesia.

Associated with Foreign Minister Tilak Marapana at the Conference and related meetings were Sri Lanka's Deputy Minister of Justice, Prison Reforms, and Buddha Sasana Sarathi Dushmantha, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to Indonesia and ASEAN Dharshana M. Perera, and officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice & Prison Reforms, the Attorney General's Department, and the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Indonesia.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

8 August 2018

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Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga, Head of the Federal Department of Justice and Police of the Swiss Confederation undertook a three-day visit to Sri Lanka, during which she called on President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The main highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of Sri Lanka and the Swiss Confederation on the establishment of a Migration Partnership.

The MoU which was signed by the Minister of Internal Affairs & Wayamba Development S.B. Nawinna on behalf of the Government of Sri Lanka, and Federal Councillor Simonetta Sommaruga on behalf of the Swiss Federal Council, enables the establishment of a regular and constant dialogue and common reflective process of migration matters beneficial to both countries, especially in the following areas:   management of migration flows; prevention of irregular migration; readmission of nationals, stateless persons, and third-country nationals; return assistance and reintegration; capacity  building in migration governance matters; prevention of smuggling of migrants and fight against human trafficking; visa issues, consular and related administrative matters; vocational training; promotion of safe and regular migration for sustainable development through a comprehensive engagement on all levels; strengthening framework conditions for diaspora investment in Sri Lanka; integration; and projects promoting rule of law and reconciliation.

Delegation-level discussions between the two countries were held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 06 August, with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake leading the Sri Lanka delegation. Discussions focused on a range of issues including steps being taken by Sri Lanka to strengthen democratic institutions, advance reconciliation and achieve economic development, and Sri Lanka’s active and progressive engagement with the international community. Foreign Secretary Prasad Kariyawasam, and officials of several ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs joined the Acting Minister at the discussions.

During her stay in Sri Lanka, Councillor Sommaruga also visited Swiss assisted projects in the Eastern Province.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo 

07 August 2018

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Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tilak Marapana led the Sri Lanka delegation to the 25^th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting held on 4 August 2018 in Singapore.

Inaugurated in 1994 in Thailand, the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) is the principal forum for security dialogue in the Asia-Pacific region which seeks to promote regional development and prosperity while recognizing challenges to regional peace, security and prosperity.

Delivering Sri Lanka’s statement at the Forum, Foreign Minister Marapana highlighted the important areas of cooperation for Sri Lanka, including maritime security, disaster management, defence related confidence building measures and preventive diplomacy, and for sustaining the growing economic dynamism and prosperity of the region. The Foreign Minister also welcomed the steady advancement in the areas of cooperation in the ARF and unreservedly supported the process.

Foreign Minister Marapana held a series of bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the ARF with the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, Lao PDR and Cambodia, and discussed on areas of mutual interest.

The Sri Lanka delegation included the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Singapore and senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

05 August  2018

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The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Democratic Republic has confirmed that, with effect from 01 August 2018, Sri Lankan citizens holding valid travel documents could apply for visa on arrival at the international border check points of the Lao People's Democratic Republic.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo.

01 August 2018

පැමිණීමෙන් පසු වීසා ලබාගැනීමේ පහසුකම ලාඕසය ශ්‍රී‍ ලාංකිකයන් වෙත ලබා දෙයි

2018 අගෝස්තු 01 වැනි දින සිට ක්‍රියාත්මක වන පරිදි, වලංගු ගමන් බලපත්‍ර දරන ශ්‍රී ලාංකිකයන්ට ලාඕස ජනතා ප්‍රජාතන්ත්‍රවාදී ජනරජයේ ජාත්‍යන්තර දේශසීමාවට පැමිණීමෙන් පසු (on arrival) වීසා අයැදුම් කළ හැකි බව එරට විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය දැනුම් දී තිබේ.

විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය

කොළඹ.

2018 අගෝස්තු 01 වැනිදා

லாஓஸ் மக்கள் ஜனநாயக குடியரசு இலங்கையர்களுக்கான வருகை வீசா வசதியை வழங்குகின்றது 

 01 ஆகஸ்ட் 2018 முதல் நடைமுறைக்கு வரும் வகையில், செல்லுபடியான கடவுச் சீட்டுக்களை வைத்திருக்கின்ற இலங்கை பிரஜைகள்  லாஓஸ் மக்கள் ஜனநாயக குடியரசின் சர்வதேச எல்லைக்கு வருகை தந்ததன் பின்பு  வீசாக்கு விண்ணப்பிக்க  (ON ARRIVAL) முடியும் என லாஓஸ் மக்கள் ஜனநாயக குடியரசின் வெளிநாட்டலுவல்கள் அமைச்சு தெரிவித்திருக்கின்றது.

வெளிநாட்டலுவல்கள் அமைச்சு

கொழும்பு

01 ஆகஸ்ட் 2018