Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Given the nationwide lockdown in effect from 10 p.m. today (20 August, 2021) until 4.00 a.m. on 30 August, 2021, the Consular Affairs Division of the Foreign Ministry limits its services to those in urgent/genuine need during this period.

Accordingly, the Consular Affairs Division situated at the Ceylinco Building in Colombo will remain closed for visitors during the lockdown period, and will only provide consular services, relating to cases of deaths of Sri Lankans overseas and attestation of export documents and relevant certificates strictly by appointment only.

The Regional consular offices will provide services related to cases of deaths of Sri Lankans overseas.

Please contact the Consular Affairs Division on Tel: 011 2335942, 011 2338812 or e-mail  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to make an appointment.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

20 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/consular-limited/)

The Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka, jointly with the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, organized a virtual business to business (B2B) interactive session on 17 August, 2021, with the Member States of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) to enhance tourism cooperation. About 100 tourism industry experts representing the public and private sector from twenty-seven CICA Member States participated in the webinar. The discussions focused on the importance and benefits of international collective efforts and joint endeavors to build a more resilient and sustainable tourism sector in the post-pandemic era.

Delivering the opening remarks, State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya stressed that the Government of Sri Lanka has demonstrated its unwavering dedication and sheer commitment consistently though a worrying economic and social impact has been left by the dreadful waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated that the Government of Sri Lanka was working with all the international organisations and friendly governments including the CICA Member States to defeat the pandemic and uphold the economic and social development aspirations of our peoples, to which the revival of the tourism industry will play a key role.

Sri Lanka Tourism Chairperson Kimarli Fernando in her keynote speech highlighted that Sri Lanka has all the attributes to position itself as a perfect post-pandemic travel destination with its wide-open spaces and a multitude of nature-based experiences and spoke extensively on Sri Lanka’s rich experiences and initiatives relevant to the revival of the tourism industry in the island nation during and the post pandemic era.

Past President of the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) Mahen Kariyawasan, President of the Association for Small & Medium Enterprises in Tourism (ASMET) Rohan Abeywickrema and President of the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka (THASL) Sanath Ukwatte also addressed the session. The session was moderated by Sri Lanka Tourism Marketing Director Dushan Wickremasuriya.

While sharing their experience and expertise on the subject, the Global industry experts participating in the webinar agreed to develop a road map conceptualizing the way forward for tourism revival within the CICA region in the post-COVID context.

CICA is a multinational forum of twenty-seven member States formed for enhancing cooperation towards promoting peace, security, and stability in Asia. Sri Lanka obtained the full membership of CICA in 2018 and currently serves as the co-coordinator for Confidence Building Measures in Tourism.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

18 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/b2b-cica/)

The newly appointed Foreign Minister Prof. G.L Peiris assumed duties at the Ministry today (18 August, 2021) at a simple ceremony graced by outgoing Foreign Minister and the new Minister of Education Dinesh Gunawardena; State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya; State Minister of Women and Child Development, Preschools & Primary Education, School Infrastructure & Education Services Piyal Nishantha De Silva;  Member of Parliament and General Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Sagara Kariyawasam; Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage and other officials. The Buddhist clergy led by the chief incumbent of the Bellanwila Rajamaha Viharaya Ven. Dr. Bellanwila Dhammaratana Nayaka Thero invoked blessings on the occasion.

Thereafter, both incoming Minister Prof. G.L Peiris and outgoing Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena met the senior staff of the Ministry. Addressing the occasion, Minister Prof. G.L Peiris stated that he was pleased to be back at the Ministry after six years. He commended the outgoing Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena for the leadership provided to the Foreign Ministry during the last two years and stated that in all activities of the Foreign Ministry, Minister Dinesh Gunawardena ensured that Sri Lanka’s inherent self-respect and dignity was not compromised.

State Minister of Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya and Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage welcomed the new Minister and stated that they looked forward to continue delivering on the mandate of the Foreign Ministry under his guidance. Both State Minister Balasuriya and Secretary Colombage thanked the outgoing Minister for his visionary leadership and guidance over the last two years.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

18 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/fm-assumes-duties/)

The Foreign Ministry wishes to clarify the following with regard to the current situation in Afghanistan and the ongoing efforts to evacuate Sri Lankan nationals there:

• The Foreign Ministry is currently in the process of working with international partners to facilitate the return of Sri Lankan nationals in Afghanistan, if they wish to return.

• The Sri Lanka Embassy in Kabul, which is functioning from a hotel, currently does not have any Sri Lankan nationals present and is manned by one local staff.

• The Embassy is in possession of details of forty three (43) Sri Lankan nationals in Afghanistan while the Sri Lanka Foreign Employment Bureau (SLBFE) has certain details as well. The Sri Lankan nationals present in Afghanistan mostly work for the United Nations, international organizations, NATO military bases and private companies.

• The Foreign Ministry remains appraised of the situation and will make every effort to ensure the safe return of Sri Lankan nationals, if they wish to return.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

15 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/afghan-sl/)

In his virtual discussion with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Adel bin Ahmed Al-Jubeir, Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena lauded the bilateral relations with Saudi Arabia and highlighted the potential that existed for further advancement of cooperation.

The Foreign Minister Gunawardena noting the progressive steps taken by both countries to strengthen diplomatic relations since 1974, recalled the contributions made by the Saudi Royalty to deepen and expand the relationship into varied areas of development cooperation and joint collaboration. The Minister Gunawardena conveyed the  greetings from the Head of State of Sri Lanka and himself to the King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud -and the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The Minister Gunawardena extended Sri Lanka's appreciation to Saudi Arabia for hosting Sri Lankan migrant workers, emphasizing that employment opportunities for Sri Lankans helped both countries in their economic advancement. He encouraged  Saudi Arabia to provide increased opportunities for Sri Lankans in skilled and professional categories. He also thanked the government of Saudi Arabia for the assistance provided for the repatriation of Sri Lankan migrant workers during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Minister Gunawardena also stressed that Sri Lanka looks forward to further strengthening the existing relations in political, economic, social and development spheres  as well as in the tourism and hospitality sector. The productive contribution made by Saudi Development Fund in Sri Lanka's national development was acknowledged with gratitude.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia Al-Jubeir assured Minister Gunawardena that Saudi Arabia continued to attach importance to its bilateral partnership with Sri Lanka and that further scope would open up in the bilateral relations in the priority areas identified by Sri Lanka in the near future.

Both ministers recalled that the two countries worked closely at the United Nations and its affiliated agencies and supported each other’s candidatures on numerous occasions. It was further highlighted that Sri Lanka supported the  Saudi Green and Middle East Green Initiative, which called for regional cooperation to tackle the environmental challenges facing Saudi  Arabia and the wider region.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

12 August, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/fm-saudi/)

Mr. President, Hon. Ministers, Chair of the 46th CCM, Heads of Delegations, Secretary General of The Colombo Plan, Heads and Representatives of International Organizations, Foreign Secretary Admiral Colombage, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends.

It is a pleasure to be here amongst all of you, albeit virtually, and I thank you for taking the time to be with us notwithstanding the immense challenges of these times. This is a clear demonstration of your commitment to advance the cause of The Colombo Plan. Given that the global climate calls for even more focus on economic and social development, our meeting today and tomorrow is timely. Home to about 40% of the global population with a combined GDP of approximately US$ 37 trillion, I believe this is where our collective strength lies and from where we can and should derive our inspiration and drive.

The Colombo Plan was conceived at the Commonwealth Conference on Foreign Affairs held in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 1950, launched by seven founding members (Australia, Britain, Canada, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), India, New Zealand and Pakistan) on 1st July 1951, chaired by the Late Hon. D.S. Senanayake, Prime Minister and Minister of External Affairs of Ceylon (Sri Lanka), now includes 27 members.

Our discussions today and tomorrow will be key in shaping The Colombo Plan’s development cooperation trajectory in the post-COVID era. Sri Lanka is confident that this Consultative Committee Meeting will serve as a more effective platform for knowledge sharing, innovation and collaboration to implement novel and useful programs for our collective benefit.

In the next two years, Sri Lanka offers to take leadership within The Colombo Plan on the topical issue of building sustainable green cities and increasing green spaces, in keeping with the President H.E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s vision of ‘Green and Smart’ cities within our government’s sustainable environmental policy, Vistas of Prosperity & Splendor.

COVID–19 has introduced a host of unforeseen challenges. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the millions of people in our fellow member nations and across the world who are suffering from the pandemic in numerous ways. Our fellow member states need to be commended for their tireless efforts to combat the pandemic and its far-reaching impact. Global interconnectedness has ensured that developments in one corner of the world – no matter how small or seemingly insignificant – will have a multiplying effect reaching on the rest of the world. If there is anything that the pandemic has taught us, it is that we are in this together, and that to overcome the pandemic we will have to come together as a global community. International cooperation, therefore, is more important today than ever before, and in this context, The Colombo Plan has an important role to play. Our organization’s work and experience in the areas of socio-economic development, including health, education, infrastructure and human resources, will be a source of strength as we grapple with the challenges of the post-pandemic world. Together we must build upon existing cooperation and explore new avenues to work towards socio-economic development in a new and challenging global environment.

The success of the cause of our organization depends on the commitment, contribution and meaningful action of all member states. But contextual challenges and individual realities in the countries can inhibit their contribution at full capacity. This has posed a challenge to the organization in sourcing funds and other resources for its initiatives and programs. Sri Lanka is concerned that this constraint in turn has hampered the organization from serving its membership at the ideal potential. We would like to request advanced member states to continue extending their valuable support to The Colombo Plan so that it may sustain and further develop meaningful programs for the developing member states, ensuring shared prosperity for all.

A fully functioning secretariat is also of utmost importance as we navigate these challenging times. Mutual cooperation between the secretariat and the member states is key. The pandemic has affected us all, barring none. Sri Lanka is pleased to have been able to implement a strong vaccination drive with the help of our international friends and partners. We are happy that many of you chose to stay back to see your duties through.

Allow me to take this opportunity to touch on a topic - Sustainable Green Cities: Increasing Green Spaces - that will be discussed at length when we present our country theme paper later in the morning.

Increasing Green Spaces indeed contributes to increasing Greenery in Cities, creating Green Cities and strengthening their sustainability as such for posterity.  I trust our country theme paper will share peculiarities specific to our past such as landscaping alterations inspired by Lankan Creativity in South-east Asian Cities of the 14th Century AC, our aspirations and our way forward.

According to the United Nations, for the first time in global history, the global urban population surpassed the rural population in 2007 – marking what we call the Urban Millennium. Urbanization, or the migration of people to cities and metropolitan areas, is a phenomenon of the past 200 years. For the better part of human history, people lived in sparsely populated rural areas. It is projected that by 2050 the global population will increase to 9.8 billion and two-thirds of that population - close to 7 billion people - will live in urban areas.

This issue and its connection to global development efforts, engendered the stand-alone goal in the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, SDG 11: Make inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable cities.

Urban areas contribute to about 70 per cent of the global GDP making these areas driving forces of the economy. They also account for about 70 percent of global carbon emissions, thereby worsening air pollution, and 60 percent of resource use, as increasing urban populations overstrain infrastructure and exert pressure on public services and limited resources. Rapid and unplanned urbanization also results in the deterioration of the environment and shrinks green spaces.

The adverse effects on the environment, health and wellbeing of populations demand immediate action and call for innovative approaches to promote access to nature, to reduce pollution and mitigate extreme weather patterns and promote sustainable lifestyles. The pandemic has increased the gravity of the situation in densely populated urban areas, and has driven home the importance of access to nature and open spaces.

While grappling with rapid urbanization is a global requirement, the severity of its effects have a greater impact on developing countries and poorer nations who are constantly playing technological catchup. Building sustainable cities calls for investment. Therefore, these countries need support and resources to improve capacity building, to access green technology, energy and infrastructure, to design and develop sustainable and reliable public services such as housing, electricity, water, waste recycling and public transportation, to name a few.

Prof Ranil Senanayake a leading global environmentalist of Sri Lanka proposes a paradigm shift in the green environment climate discussion. His insights are that urban sector is the real spoiler of the air we breathe. Oxygen is burnt every single time an engine ignites in a car, bus, train, plane, factory or generator. The only reintroduction of Oxygen is done by our rural green areas. Thus our focus should also be on Oxygen.

When the time the UN is ringing warning alarms on climate, it is important that we recognize countries that have shown positive ecological contribution and commitment. A recognition in form of a positive return to offset financial debt or difficulty. Thanks to their contribution and commitment, we the world are still breathing.

In this respect it is important to keep in mind the trends of dynamics of the Generation Changes amongst the youth where through fast tracked technological innovations - methodologies are being renewed and replaced within shortened time lines.

We remain committed to assisting the organization to grow while it endeavors to cope with the challenges of our time and pursues social and economic prosperity for our region.

I wish you all two fruitful days of discussion and deliberation.

Thank you!

(https://mfa.gov.lk/47th-consultative-committee/)