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 29^th 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.

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 18^th Century recovered from an ongoing investigation to the Sri Lanka Permanent Mission in New York on Thursday, 25^th 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.

The Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Government of the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in accordance with the interests and desires of the peoples of both countries have decided to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries with effect from 22 March 2021.

The establishment of diplomatic relations were formally done through signing of a Joint Communiqué by H.E. Mr. Mohan Pieris, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and H.E. Mr. Ian McDonald Liburd, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Saint Kitts and Nevis to the United Nations on 22 March 2021 in New York.

Both Governments have agreed to further augment the existing friendly relations and cooperation in the political, socio-economic and cultural fields, for the mutual benefit of the two countries, based on the principles of mutual respect of both countries’ sovereignty and territorial integrity.

JOINT FORMAL ANNOUNCEMENT

Your Excellences and Distinguished participants,

Provision of water and sanitation services is one of the highest social priorities of Sri Lanka. Targets have been well set to achieve national and global goals. Sri Lanka has successfully mainstreamed SDG 6 the water sector and accordingly accelerated water and sanitation policies to reflect that water and sanitation are human rights. Having achieved MDG targets for water and sanitation well in time, we are now in a better position to achieve global goals in WASH even ahead of time.

Sri Lanka Government’s aim is to achieve SDG 6 targets for universal access to safely managed drinking water and sanitation by 2025. Our Government aims to mobilize efforts and resources to increase pipe borne portable water of the households by 2025 significantly.