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Entry Requirement for Sri Lankans Lifted

Tuesday, 06 April 2021

Media Release (English)

Entry Requirement for Sri Lankans Lifted

Under the directive of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Foreign Ministry reviewed the entry procedure today, 06 April 2021, as a measure of relief for prospective Lankan returnees.

Under the new procedure, Sri Lankans, dual citizens who travel on Sri Lankan passports, spouses and unmarried children of Sri Lankans, who are foreigners, and Sri Lankan seafarers arriving by air will be permitted to enter into Sri Lanka without prior approval of the Foreign Ministry and the Civil Aviation Authority.

The responsibility of maintaining a manageable number of passenger arrivals has however been entrusted with the Civil Aviation Authority, who will, through the respective airlines, regulate the numbers in a manner that would cope with the local capacities of quarantining and other logistics required.

All arriving passengers will be required to strictly adhere to health protocols and guidelines that are effective at the time of arrival.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

06 April 2021

 

 

Foreign Minister calls for early conclusion of Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and Parliamentarians at the 17th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting

Thursday, 01 April 2021

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena,  called  for  early  conclusion of the  Charter of the Association of BIMSTEC Speakers and  Parliamentarians, in his welcome  address at the 17th Ministerial Meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative  for Multi Sectoral Technical  and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC),  comprising of Bangladeshi, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. This event was held virtually   on 1st April 2021 in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The Foreign Minister informed that the platform would provide Speakers and Parliamentarians space for greater understanding, trust and friendship and to exchange ideas and information on parliamentary practices and commitment on democratic principles. 

Statement by H.E. Mohan Peiris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN at the Informal meeting of the plenary to hear a briefing on the G20 Summit at the UN General Assembly Hall

Thursday, 01 April 2021

Mr. President , I am most thankful to you for arranging this meeting which gives small States such as SriLanka have an opportunity to place our difficulties before this august body and the G20 with regard to maintaining financial systems stability in these difficult times.

The objectives of the G20 are clear. They are the Policy coordination between its members in order to achieve global economic stability, sustainable growth, the promotion of financial regulations that reduce risks and prevent future financial crises and to create a new international financial architecture more particularly during these difficult times.

“Getting old is a fascinating thing, the older you get the older you want to get”

Monday, 29 March 2021

Statement made by H.E. Mohan Pieris, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations at the 2nd meeting - 11th Session of the Open-ended Working Group on Ageing (29 March - 1 April 2021) Measures to enhance the promotion and protection of the human rights and dignity of older persons on 29th March 2021.

The Open-Ended Working Group on Ageing was established by the General Assembly by resolution 65/182 on 21 December 2010. The working group will consider the existing international framework of the human rights of older persons and identify possible gaps and how best to address them, including by considering, as appropriate, the feasibility of further instruments and measures.

New York District Attorney returns Artifacts from 18th Century recovered from investigation to Sri Lanka Permanent Mission

Friday, 26 March 2021

Ambassador Pieris and Asst. District Attorney Col. Matthew Bogdanos exchange agreements

The Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance, Jr. returned a pair of antique statues of the Lord Buddha, dating to the 18th Century recovered from an ongoing investigation to the Sri Lanka Permanent Mission in New York on Thursday, 25th March 2021.

H.E. Ambassador Mohan Pieris, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka and Mission officials received officials of the District Attorney’s Antiquities Trafficking Unit and the US Homeland Security Investigations, whom handed over the artifacts at a solemn ceremony at the Permanent Mission. Satya Rodrigo, Deputy Permanent Representative welcomed participants to the Mission for the ceremonial handover of the artifacts.