Statement by H.E. Jayantha Jayasuriya, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations at the Informal Meeting of the General Assembly to Commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Signing of the United Nations Charter
26 June 2026
Madam President,
I thank you for convening this meeting to commemorate the founding of this esteemed Organization.
Sri Lanka aligns itself with the statement delivered by Uruguay on behalf of the Group of 77 & China.
Eighty-one years ago in San Francisco, the Charter gave every nation, irrespective of its size, political and military supremacy, and economic dominance, a place at the same table and a stake in the same rules. For an island nation which was one of the first to gain independence in the post-colonial world, that assurance has meant a great deal - and Sri Lanka has worked to uphold it.
We have helped shape the rules the world relies on. It was Ambassador Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe who presided over the conference that produced the Convention on the Law of the Sea, and Ambassador Jayantha Dhanapala who guided the conference that secured the indefinite extension of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.
Sri Lanka continues to advance the purposes of the Charter in practical ways. Approximately 25,000 Sri Lankan peacekeepers have been involved in peacekeeping operations for the last six decades, in the pursuit of global peace. Today, more than three hundred Sri Lankans serve under the United Nations flag across four missions on two continents. Among them is an Army field hospital in South Sudan, now on its twelfth rotation, where Sri Lankan medical teams care for those affected by conflict.
Madam President,
The United Nations has also stood with us. For decades, it has been a trusted partner in Sri Lanka’s development, supporting the Government’s efforts to reduce poverty and build resilience in communities across the country. More recently, last November, when Cyclone Ditwah caused some of the most severe flooding in our recent memory, the United Nations did not arrive as a stranger. It was already there - extending assistance in partnership with the Government to assess the damage and support our recovery.
Madam President,
Why is the Charter still relevant?
Much is said about what we lose when it’s the principles of the Charter are ignored. We should remember, too, what we gain when they are upheld. For developing countries, the stability and predictability that the Charter creates are the foundation upon which we build our economies, protect our security, and pursue a better future for our communities.
The Charter remains one of humanity’s most ambitious commitments to the maintenance of international peace, security, and cooperation among nations. Our task is not to fade away from that assurance, but to uphold it through our collective commitment and actions.
Sri Lanka renews that commitment today. Better together: one Charter, one future.
I thank you.