Mr Speaker,

With regard to the current state of the economy and the Way Ahead, I would like to recall the speech I made in the House on the 05th of November 2015.

We can once again become the resplendent nation we were under Manawamma and Parakramabahu. But it is a path that must be pursued with determination, commitment and patience. Only then can we create the country that we can confidently pass on to the future generations.

 Read Full text of the Statement in English.pdf and Sinhala.pdf.

Hon. Karu Jayasuriya, Speaker of the Parliament, attending the 135^th Session of the Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva, was invited to chair the emergency session on Syria called by the IPU Assembly on 25^th October.  The Session had before it a Resolution titled “The war and the severe humanitarian situation in Syria, particularly in Aleppo” presented by Germany and Mexico. Pursuant to the General Debate, a Drafting Committee was mandated to discuss and present the finalized Resolution on 27^th October 2016, for the consideration of the IPU Assembly.

XVII Summit of the Heads of State and Government

of the Non- Aligned Movement

Hon. Mahinda Samarasinghe

Minister of Skills Development & Vocational Training

Interactive Debate on

“Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development”

Her Excellency Delcy Eloína Rodríguez Gómez, Minister of the Peoples’ Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and

Chair of the Ministerial Meeting of the Non Aligned Movement,

Your Excellencies,

Distinguished Delegates,

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

It gives me great pleasure to warmly congratulate you Madam Chair, on your assumption as Chair of the Ministerial Meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement and thank you, and through you, the Government of Venezuela for the excellent arrangements and hospitality extended to me and my delegation. Sri Lanka will continue to extend to extend its fullest cooperation in the conduct of the Movement’s programme of work.