Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Fisheries Minister Douglas Devananda met with the Indian High Commissioner Gopal Bagley on 7 December 2020 at the Foreign Ministry. The two Ministers discussed matters of mutual interest with the Indian High Commissioner, mainly focussing on the Palk Strait fisheries issue and possible post Covid-19 mutual cooperation.

It was agreed to find solutions to the existing fisheries matters through the established bilateral mechanisms, including the Ministerial-level India-Sri Lanka Joint Working Group on Fisheries. The fourth Meeting of the Bilateral Working Group on Fisheries that was scheduled for last January was postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic situation. Both sides endorsed to convene the Working Group meeting virtually at the earliest, while assurances were given to maintain the standard procedures in dealing with mid-sea encounters.

Both sides expressed satisfaction over the entire gamut of areas in bilateral cooperation, including the ongoing development assistance and Covid-19 pandemic joint action. The Indian side assured fullest cooperation to repatriate the Sri Lankans who are still stranded in South India due to travel restrictions. The two Ministers thanked India for the assistance given to construct the Jaffna Cultural Centre, which is expected to become functional soon through joint collaboration. Both sides agreed to continue the close dialogue.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

08 December 2020

The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in Sri Lanka, Juana Elena Ramos Rodriguez met Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena on Friday, 04 December at the Foreign Ministry. The meeting entailed discussion, inter alia, on potential areas of cooperation, including in the pharmaceutical and sugar cane industries, where Sri Lanka would benefit from Cuban expertise and technical assistance; and ongoing collaboration in the development of the coconut industry in Cuba through technical cooperation with Sri Lanka.

Recalling the commemoration of 60 years of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Cuba in 2019, the two sides welcomed collaboration between the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations of Sri Lanka (LKI) and the Raul Roa Garcia Higher Institute of International Relations in Cuba, as well as in higher education through scholarships offered to Sri Lanka for undergraduate study in Medicine by the Cuban Government. They also welcomed the MOU signed between the Chambers of Commerce of Sri Lanka and Cuba to enhance business ties.

Read more: FOREIGN MINISTER DINESH GUNAWARDENA DISCUSSES SRI LANKA’S BILATERAL COOPERATION WITH CUBAN AMBASSADOR

Mr President
Mr Secretary-General
Your Majesties
Your Excellencies
Distinguished Delegates
Ladies and Gentlemen

At the outset, I thank H.E. Volkan Bozkir, President of the General Assembly for convening the Special Session in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as proposed by the Non Aligned Movement and Azerbaijan, Chair of the NAM.

I convey my deepest condolences to all those who have lost loved ones due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the greatest global health crisis to face humanity, and express appreciation to the frontline healthcare and essential services workers in Sri Lanka and worldwide, for their dedication and commitment.

Under the leadership of His Excellency President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka has been managing the spread of COVID-19 through the strict adherence to the Universal Health Precautions and with a whole-of-government approach, targeting zero transmission.

A National Operation Centre for the Prevention of COVID-19 Outbreak was established to carry out operations to combat the pandemic. A digital platform - ‘Stay Safe’ – facilitates public engagement for contact tracing. The Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 Prevention effectively coordinates these measures. The free Universal Health Care facility that Sri Lanka provides to its people has also lessened the spread of the virus.

Sri Lanka focuses on eliminating COVID-19 from the country in the year 2021. The mechanism and strategic plan the Government has currently deployed to respond to the pandemic while maintaining normalcy in the daily life, consist of 10 pillars: national level coordination, planning and review as the first pillar, raising awareness among the public about the risk and active participation of the society in the mitigation process as the second, supervision, rapid response and detection as the third, monitoring at the ports of entry and inland transportations routes as the fourth, strengthening the laboratory system as the fifth, control and prevention of the spread of the virus as the sixth, adequate handling of patients as the seventh, expediting facilities to all the healthcare services as the eighth, continuation of the essential health services as the ninth and ensuring social security and continuation of economic activities as the tenth.

In addressing the socio-economic impact caused by the pandemic, the Government has granted financial relief and dry rations to over six million families and vulnerable groups, established a COVID – 19 Healthcare and Social Security Fund and provides financial facilities to local businesses.

Read more: STATEMENT BY HON. DINESH GUNAWARDENA, FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA AT THE 31ST SPECIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY IN RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, 03/04 DECEMBER 2020

Hon. Mariya Didi, Defence Minister of Maldives,
Shri Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India,
Defence Secretary Major General Kamal Gunaratne,
Foreign Secretary Admiral Professor Jayanath Colombage,
Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let me, at the outset, warmly welcome you and the visiting delegations from India and Maldives to this important Trilateral Security Meeting, which is being convened after a lapse of six years. I also welcome to our midst the latest Observer Bangladesh and of course Mauritius and Seychelles who have been with us as observers since 2014.

Your presence in Colombo, despite the challenges, posed by the Covid-19 pandemic, amply demonstrates the commitment – both individually and collectively- to the common purpose  of collaborating on our key maritime security interests and for the region’s stability and wellbeing.  Our national priorities demand of us to collaborate in order to ensure our collective security and wellbeing. As littoral States, the Indian Ocean holds a vital conduit for our prosperity and as some have said, it may well define the destiny of the planet in the 21st century.  This forum provides us with a valuable platform to pursue these goals.

Our Security is not limited to physical security and consequent regional stability, but also encompasses nontraditional security challenges including threats to marine environment.  Over exploitation of ocean-based living and natural resources, pollution, threats posed by oil spills and chemicals, acidification of the seas and sea-level rise are also among our concerns.

The Indian Ocean is the world’s third largest, it commands 60% of the world’s GDP; sees 80% of the world’s ship borne energy transport through its oceans and; facilitates 46% of the world’s merchandise trade.  Fifty five percent (55%) of the world’s container traffic ply through these oceans.  As littoral states located in the key parts of the Indian Ocean. Maritime security remains  one of our highest priorities amidst increasingly busy international sea lanes in the Indian Ocean.

As it is to all of you,  Sri Lanka sees the opportunities the Indian Ocean holds. With these opportunities comes responsibilities to our people, to the region and the world at large.  Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity is a founding pillar of our engagement. We see the importance of maintaining freedom of navigation in our seas and air space and protecting sea lines of communication and the undersea cables.  We believe all countries should adhere to and respect international law, including the UN Convention on Law of the Sea [UNCLOS].

Few weeks after the Enlightenment of Gauthama the Buddha, twenty six centuries ago, ‘Tapassu’ and ‘Ballucca’ became the first two followers of the Buddha.  They were successful merchants travelling in the Indian Ocean.  Infact when Hair Relics of the Buddha were gifted to them they travelled to the North Eastern port of Trincomalee, and having deposited the sacred relics they then built ‘Girihanduseya’ which to date is worshipped by the Buddhists. The two merchants then set off to Chittagong and Myanmar through Bay of Bengal.

Such historic encounters, were frequent and establishes the fact that without insulating our mutual security in the Indian Ocean through close cooperation, none can claim of invincibility.  In one perspective, the European powers that dominated our region from the 16th Century to mid-20th Century AD conquered the East through Arabian Seas and the Indian Ocean mainly due to their superior maritime capabilities.

Read more: REMARKS MADE BY HON. DINESH GUNAWARDENA, FOREIGN MINISTER AT THE INAUGURAL EVENT OF THE 4TH NSA – LEVEL TRILATERAL MEETING ON MARITIME COOPERATION ON 28 NOVEMBER 2020 AT TAJ SAMUDRA HOTEL, COLOMBO