State Minister for International Cooperation Susil Premajayantha led the Sri Lanka delegation to the Twelfth Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) held in Quito, Ecuador from 20-24 January 2020.
Certain International media channels had reported to the effect that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had stated that 20,000 listed as missing are dead. In all these reports however, the crucial detail that necessary investigations would be conducted before a death certificate would be issued had been wittingly or unwittingly omitted. Furthermore, neither President Rajapaksa nor Ms Singer discussed a number. The subject was discussed in very general terms
Foreign Relations Minister Dinesh Gunawardena conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation for the development partnership United States has extended to Sri Lanka as well as respect and appreciation for the democratic processes in the country. He articulated these sentiments during discussions in Colombo with US Principal Assistant Secretary of State Ambassador Alice Wells at the Ministry of Foreign Relations this (14 January) morning.
The Chinese Foreign Minister & State Councilor Wang Yi met with the Minister of Foreign Relations Dinesh Gunawardena at the Foreign Ministry on 14 January 2020, where China reiterated its solidarity and support to the new Government of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, will arrive in Sri Lanka on 13 January 2020 for bilateral discussions with Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena. This is the first Official visit from the Russian Federation following the Presidential elections in November 2019, and the appointment of a new Cabinet of Ministers in Sri Lanka.
Minister of Foreign Relations, Dinesh Gunawardena, undertaking his first official visit overseas since assumption of office, visited India from 9-10 January 2020 at the invitation of the Minister of External Affairs of India.
Sri Lanka is deeply concerned about the growing tensions in the Middle East following the assassination of a senior Iranian leader.
Sri Lanka urges all parties to act with utmost restraint and maintain peace and security through constructive dialogue in order to de-escalate the threat to the stability of the region.
January 03, 2020: SriLankan Airlines, the National Carrier of Sri Lanka and a member of the oneworld alliance, welcomed aboard the global media icon Richard Quest of CNN during his journey from London to Colombo recently.
Full text of the speech:
Honourable Speaker, Honourable Prime Minister,
Honourable Leader of the Opposition,
