Distinguished Delegates, Ladies and Gentlemen, To begin with, I feel so honoured and privileged to be in this wonderful capital and largest city of Switzerland on behalf of my delegation. It is a great pleasure for me to address the 148th IPU Assembly...
Sri Lanka is deeply troubled about the death of over hundred people who were waiting to receive aid in Gaza and joins the call for investigation into the incident. The latest incident underscores the immediate need to end the blockade imposed on Gaza,...
Attending the 54th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF) 2024 in Davos, Switzerland at the invitation of its Founder and Chairman Prof. Klaus Schwab, President Ranil Wickremesinghe interacted with world...
Eleventh Meeting of States Parties to the Convention on Cluster Munitions 11 – 14 September 2023 Statement by Sri Lanka Agenda Item 8: General Exchange of Views Thank you Mr. President, Sri Lanka joins...
General Intervention by H.E. Himalee Arunatilaka, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva, on 28 August 2023 Mr. Chair, Sri Lanka compliments the work accomplished...
Intervention by Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, National Coordinator, Disaster Preparedness and Response Division of the Ministry of Health on National Inventory of Dangerous Pathogens (NIDP) Thank you...
Intervention by Dr. Samiddhi Samarakoon, National Coordinator, Disaster Preparedness and Response Division of the Ministry of Health on the Implementation of Biological Weapons Convention Plan in...
Turning a new chapter in the history of Sri Lanka – Africa relations, the Commission of the African Union granted Sri Lanka Accreditation Status in the African Union (AU) with effect from April 2014 as a non-African State. Sri Lanka is the 3rd South Asian country along with India and Pakistan to have obtained Accreditation Status in the African Union. This new membership is a progressive reflection of the country’s new multifaceted Foreign Policy commitment of reenergizing its longstanding affinities with the African region.
Sri Lanka’s newly obtained Accreditation Status in the African Union presents more opportunities for partnership in development and mutually beneficial socio-economic and trade cooperation with the African States in broadening Sri Lanka’s engagement in the international arena. His Excellency Mahinda Rajapaksa’s State visits to Seychelles, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and visits from several African Heads of State/Government to Sri Lanka are a manifestation of Sri Lanka’s intensified engagement with Africa with the aim to consolidate mutual relations.
The African Union, a successor to the Organization of African Unity which was established in 1999 under the Sirte Declaration, is comprised of 54 African States. The Heads of State/ Government of the member countries meet bi-annually at the AU Headquarters in Addis Ababa. The vision of the African Union calls for; “an Integrated, prosperous and peaceful Africa, driven by its own citizens and representing a dynamic force in global arena”. The AU strives to achieve a new, forward looking, dynamic and integrated Africa.
Africa is home to 19 AU member countries out of the 54 member states of the Commonwealth. The partnership programmes established between AU and other regions in political, economic, social and technical domains provide a wide ranging platform to deepen relations and cooperation with the African region. These partnerships are founded on trust, equality and mutual respect.
Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Uganda Mr. V. Kananathan, who is also concurrently accredited to Ethiopia, presented his credentials recently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to Her Excellency Dr. Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Union Commission, as Sri Lanka’s first Permanent Representative (PR) to the African Union.
Ministry of External Affairs
Colombo
8th May 2014