News

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met with the Canadian High Commissioner David McKinnon at the Foreign Ministry today (10/05).   The Minister conveyed the Government’s deep concerns on the passing of Private Member Bill 104 on ‘Tamil Genocide Education Week’ by the Ontario Legislative Assembly on 06 May 2021.  The Minister explained that the Ontario Legislative Assembly makes a finding that ‘genocide’ has taken place in Sri Lanka contradicting the official position of the Government of Canada which had confirmed that it has not made a finding that there was a genocide in Sri Lanka.  He sought immediate intervention of the Canadian government to stop Royal Assent by Hon. Lt. Governor of Ontario to the said Bill.

Joining the meeting, Foreign Secretary Admiral (Prof.) Jayanath Colombage elaborated on the potential harm the Bill 104 could cause to the reconciliation process, peace building and the bilateral relations at large.

The Foreign Minister, while thanking the Canadian Government for the continuous support extended to Sri Lanka on multiple fronts, also discussed with the High Commissioner on a wide range of bilateral issues.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

10 May 2021

Eminent international legal luminaries, Managing Director and Head of Projects for Morocco and Sudan at the Max Planck Foundation Prof. Rüdiger Wolfrum and Director of the Norwegian Centre for the Law of the Sea located at the Faculty of Law, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø, Prof.Tore Henriksen were among the speakers at a webinar organized by the Foreign Ministry on 04 May 2021, as part of its responsibilities as the lead country for the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Working Group on Maritime Safety and security on the theme “Port State Control (PSC) and Maritime Safety and Security (MSS) in the Indian Ocean Region”.

PSC inspections are intended as a second line of defence against substandard shipping and as a backup to flag State implementation. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted resolution A.682(17) on Regional co-operation in the control of ships and discharges promoting the conclusion of regional agreements. A ship going to a port in one country will normally visit other countries in the region and it can, therefore, be more efficient if inspections can be closely coordinated in order to focus on substandard ships and to avoid multiple inspections. This ensures that as many ships as possible are inspected but at the same time prevents ships being delayed by unnecessary inspections. The primary responsibility for ships' standards rests with the flag State - but PSC provides a "safety net" to identify substandard ships.

Given the broad scope of PSC, the Webinar was divided into two parts. Session One dealt with PSC, Maritime Safety and Security and the Law of the Sea. This part was more theoretical in nature, and discussed the meaning and scope of PSC; the relationship between improving MSS and PSC; and the legal regime governing PSC under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and other international instruments. This included presentations on the interconnectedness between PSC and MSS, focussing on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU Fishing) as well as a brief discussion of the international instruments enacted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) providing measures for PSC.

Session II dealt with PSC in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) – Towards Harmonization and Strengthening Regional Practices. This part discussed technical and regional issues relating to PSC and MSS in the IOR. This part included a comparative analysis of the Indian Ocean MoU in light of other PSC regimes, with a view to identifying challenges, opportunities and best practices that can enhance PSC in the IOR. Secondly, the session included a discussion around seaworthiness and PSC, focusing on inspections under the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL), the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) and the Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), and the practical issues and best practices in this regard. Thirdly, it discussed about optimizing PSC procedures to respond to trans-national maritime crime and terrorism, and the challenges and opportunities that may arise in this regard.

In conclusion, the panel agreed that a better understanding of PSC, including the legal foundation of PSC and the interconnectedness between PSC and MSS is needed and that measures should be taken to strengthen domestic PSC regimes, which will in turn further MSS-related objectives within the IOR. Achieving a better understanding of PSC and creating awareness would assist in effectively implementing the objectives of the Jakarta Concord, the IORA Action Plan (2017-2021) and the Work Plan of the WGMSS and would strengthen the shared identity of the IOR and encourage regional collective responses to MSS-related issues. Relevance of PSC measures for IORA Member States in benefiting from ocean resources in a sustainable manner too was highlighted.

For Sri Lanka, implementing of PSC measures effectively as well as signing up to other ancillary regional and international instruments connected to ocean governance, augments well with its endeavours to effectively promote the country as a maritime and a logistic hub, leveraging its geo-strategic location.

The other speakers included Master Mariner Captain Upul Peiris from the Merchant Shipping Secretariat, former Executive Director of Ceylon Shipping Corporation Dr. Dan Malika Gunasekera and Senior Deputy Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department Vikum De Abrew. The Webinar was moderated by Director General of Ocean Affairs, Environment & Climate Change of the Foreign Ministry Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake who also delivered the Opening Remarks at the Webinar. 50 participants comprising of senior officials, academics and practitioners from IORA Member States and Dialogue Partners joined the webinar.

Foreign Ministry
Colombo

08 May, 2021

The British High Commission in Colombo and the Government of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka this week held a virtual event “Nitrogen for Climate and Green Recovery”, held on 27 - 29 April 2021, in Colombo.

The event launched the #Nitrogen4NetZero initiative, to widen engagement on sustainable nitrogen management in this crucial year for climate action.

Colombo, 5 May 2021

#Nitrogen4NetZero is an initiative launched in partnership between the British High Commission, Colombo and the Government of Sri Lanka, championed by H.E. the President of Sri Lanka. The two key messages are that Net Zero will be impossible to achieve without action on nitrogen, and that action on nitrogen will offer multiple co-benefits for health, nature and economy.

Delivering a statement to the event, on behalf of His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Foreign Minister Hon. Dinesh Gunawardena emphasised that:

“...Climate scientists have been studying and grappling with the impact of increased carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere for decades. I believe it is important to address the issue of nitrogen waste in a similarly urgent way, and to broaden the ongoing discourse on climate change accordingly.”

Speaking last year COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma had underlined the importance of joint action on climate change this year:

“Tackling climate change is the one of the most urgent shared endeavours of our lifetimes, demanding bold action from every nation to prevent catastrophic global warming’……2021 is absolutely going to be a critical year for climate. I want to see the golden thread of climate action woven through every international event on the road to Glasgow.”

The United Kingdom will host COP26 in Glasgow later this year, and as the incoming Presidency are committed to working with Sri Lanka to accelerate climate ambition in 2020 and 2021.

At COP26, the United Kingdom will demonstrate the urgency and the opportunities of the journey towards a zero carbon economy and the power of international cooperation to address the gravest challenges the world faces. To ensure success countries need to commit to reaching net zero carbon emissions as soon as possible.

However, the transition to net zero emissions will also require action on nitrogen to reduce nitrous oxide, a greenhouse gas with a global warming potential around 300 times that of carbon dioxide.  A focus on reducing nitrogen pollution offers multiple win-wins across sustainable development for air, water, biodiversity, stratospheric ozone depletion, soils, food and the economy. These issues have been recognized by the UN Environment Assembly Resolution on ‘Sustainable Nitrogen Management’ (UNEP/EA.4/Res.14), led by India, and the Colombo Declaration led by Sri Lanka, which agreed an ambition to halve nitrogen waste from all sources by 2030, offering the potential to save $100 billion annually.

The #Nitrogen4NetZero initiative with member countries of the South Asian Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP) prepares the way to widen engagement in this crucial year for climate action. The initiative is being prepared with science support from the “GCRF South Asian Nitrogen Hub”, supported by UK Research and Innovation through its Global Challenges Research Fund. The hub forms part of a global effort working in partnership with the UN Environment Program and the Global Environment Facility through the International Nitrogen Management System, led by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.

Further information

For details about the ‘Nitrogen for Climate and Green Recovery’ event and for further information on #Nitrogen4NetZero, visit https://www.inms.international/nitrogen4netzero/events

The #Nitrogen4NetZero launch video is available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6n0MqW5JfY

The “South Asian Nitrogen Hub” of the Global Challenge Research Fund is a £20M program supported by from UK Research & Innovation (UKRI), working in partnership will all eight countries of the South Asia Cooperative Environment Programme (SACEP). It is coordinated by the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology.  See “Nitrogen pollution is no laughing mattter” https://www.ceh.ac.uk/press/nitrogen-pollution-no-laughing-matter