Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

The International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers, observed annually on 29 May, is an occasion to pay tribute to all the men and women who have served and continue to serve in UN peacekeeping operations and to honour the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace.

Read more: Sri Lanka honours United Nations Peacekeepers

At the invitation of his counterpart, the Federal Foreign Minister of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera visited Berlin from 21st - 23rd May 2015.

Read more: Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera concludes first official visit to Berlin

Minister of Health and Indigenous Medicine Dr. Rajitha Senaratne addressed the 68^th World Health Assembly held in Geneva on 19^th May 2015 and highlighted the progress Sri Lanka has made in  achieving the Millennium Development Goals  and universal health coverage, particularly with respect to Maternal & Child Health and  the control of  communicable diseases.

Read more: Minister Dr. Rajitha Senaratne addresses the World Health Assembly in Geneva

Address by

Hon. Mangala Samaraweera

Minister of Foreign Affairs

German Council on Foreign Relations (DGAP)

Berlin, 22 May 2015

Contours of a new Sri Lanka

Secretary General Dr Harald Kinderman,

Members of the Board of the German Council on Foreign Relations,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I thank all of you for so graciously hosting me here today at the prestigious German Council on Foreign Relations.

Read more: Address by Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs at the German Council on Foreign Relations

Read more: Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera meets German Foreign Minister Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier

The sixth annual South Asian Regional Conference on international humanitarian law (IHL) jointly organized by the Government of Sri Lanka and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), is being held in Colombo from 19-21 May 2015.

Read more: Sri Lanka hosts forum on international humanitarian law

Sri Lanka denounces in the strongest terms, today’s terrorist attack on a bus in Karachi, killing innocent civilians and injuring many.

Firing on men, women and children while they were on their way to participate in religious observances displays a brutality of unimaginable proportions.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those affected by this deplorable violence.  We stand firmly with the Government and people of Pakistan in their hour of grief and wish those who were injured, a quick recovery.

Sri Lanka condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and expresses support for all efforts to combat this scourge.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Colombo

13^th May 2015