Sri Lanka’s Hony. Consul in New Zealand receives Order of Merit

October 27, 2016

Sri Lanka’s Hony. Consul in New Zealand Aruna Abeygoonasekera received recognition in Her Majesty’s Birthday Honours when he was admitted as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, an Order of Chivalry in New Zealand’s honour system established in 1996 by Queen Elizabeth the II.

The award was in recognition of his services to New Zealand – Sri Lanka relations and to the Sri Lankan community as Hony. Consul in New Zealand since 2007.

Aruna Abeygoonasekera being congratulated by Her Excellency Dame Patsy Reddy,
Governor General of New Zealand, upon receiving the award.

Visit of Hon Ruwan Wijewardena, State Minister for Defence to Australia

October 12, 2016

The State Minister for Defence, Hon Ruwan Wijewardena, who was in Australia on the invitation of the Australian government, met the Minster of Justice and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister on Counter Terrorism Michael Keenan, Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, and the Minister of Immigration and Border Protection Peter Dutton at the Parliament House on 12th October.

“Sri Lanka and its place in the world” – Address by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe: 3rd October 2016: Wellington, New Zealand

October 6, 2016

 “Sri Lanka and its place in the world”
Address by Hon Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
3rd October 2016: Wellington, New Zealand

First let me express my sincere appreciation to the organizers  of this event for the invitation extended to me.  I am concluding my visit to New Zealand with this talk.  I have noted the objective of the Institute is to promote discussion and understanding of international issues and emerging trends.

A new Global order is still emerging.   It has been marked by the collapse of both the post-cold war order as well as the political dominance of the West.  The emergence of strong regional powers is challenging the hegemony of the still predominant global actor, USA. The western world is in the process of re-examining its basic tenets.  All of us have to focus on how we reposition ourselves.    In that context, I am happy to be here today to address you on the theme of “Sri Lanka and its place in the world.”

Sri Lanka’s location in the heart of the Indian Ocean straddling Western and Eastern Asia has made us beneficiaries of inter-regional trade for centuries.  The strategic importance of Sri Lanka as a regional hub in the realm of global commercial activity has been widely acknowledged.

Historical records show that Sri Lanka was called by more than sixty-eight names is a clear testimony of themany nations and peoples that communicated with this Island State through the centuries and its importance as a port of call.

In the ancient world, as far as global and navigational contexts were concerned, Sri Lanka possessed three strategic geographical advantages.

-It was the vital southern-most point of mainland Asia;

-It was almost on the Equator where navigational winds and monsoon effects changed directions;

-It was the half waypoint between the two great empires of Rome and China.

Even though navigational winds are no longer of relevance in the modern world, the geographical positioning of Sri Lanka still remains of consequence especially with the construction of the Suez Canal which provided a free passage between Europe and Asia.

Even as an internal self-governing colony under the British, Sri Lankan leaders had a clear focus on Asia and was well aware of the choices facing the international community.   In January 1942, when the Allies stood at their most vulnerable moment, Sri Lanka re-affirmed its commitment to the Allies and extended all support to the United Nations.   After gaining independence from the British in 1948, Sri Lanka advocated and acted on the need for an Asian focus.   The Commonwealth Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Colombo, in 1950, which gave rise to the Colombo Plan was one such occasion.

Immediately after the World War II, Sri Lanka led the Asian nations in supporting the Peace Treaty with Japan at the San Francisco Conference in 1951. This was a high watermark in Sri Lanka’s foreign policy after independence and the foundation for Sri Lanka’s relations with Japan. The concept of a completely independent Japan was first put forward at the Colombo Conference of Commonwealth Foreign Ministers in 1950, where the issue was considered – not as an isolated case, but as part of the South and South East Asian region.

The independence of Sri Lanka’s foreign policy at the time was further emphasized by the Rubber-Rice Pact of 1952 that Sri Lanka entered into with the People’s Republic of China. We were not afraid to engage with countries based on our socio-economic needs.

The 1954 the Colombo Powers Meeting brought together the leaders of India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, to work towards overcoming the issues of post-colonialism and to establish democracy and democratic institutions within these nations.

This in turn led to the Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung, in 1955 which was the precursor to the Non-Aligned Movement. Sri Lanka played an active role in the Non Aligned Movement, and was selected as its Chair following the NAM Summit held in Colombo in 1976.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and the end of both the Cold War and the post-Cold War era, there have been radical changes in the world order. Economic interest is increasingly driving national priorities and political affiliations. We must adjust to these evolving global priorities and realities.

On the other side of the Indian Ocean, the African continent is also going through political and economic transformations, which could complement its already significant economic growth. The African Union is becoming more relevant in the current global context where the trade and economy of its member States are becoming increasingly integrated with other regions.   In recognition of this importance, Sri Lanka will be establishing a diplomatic mission at the seat of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

The turn of the millennium has also witnessed another important development.   Unprecedented economic growth in Asia has shifted the world economic centre of gravity to the East since China has become the largest economy in the world, and while the US is 2^nd, India, and Japan occupy 3^rd and 4^th places. Thus, new consumer markets in Asia and the expansion of the Asian middle class are changing the traditional focus of markets.

The ADB has predicted that Asia will account for half of all global economic output by 2050 if the current levels of growth are maintained.

While global power has generally manifested itself in the form of political and military influence, the current reality is that the scale of economic achievements and the strength of an economy underpin the weight of political, military and other influences of powerful nations.

With 2 billion population, South Asia is also a considerable market with growing significance.  It is in this evolving context and dynamics of the globe that we in Sri Lanka have started to plan and project our own future.

In the coming decades, managing our relations with several centers of global power, many of which directly or indirectly would seek to expand influence in the Asian seas will no doubt be a major challenge. It is on leveraging our advantages effectively in the overlapping spheres of economic and strategic interests, that our success within the region and beyond, inter alia, will depend.

At the end of the internal conflict in Sri Lanka in 2009 we sought to isolate ourselves from emerging trends.   In the 6 years following the end of this conflict, there was deliberate, continued rejection of efforts at improving the human rights situation and embarking on genuine reconciliation.

The National Unity Government established by President Maithripala Sirisena and myself have wholeheartedly taken on this challenge.  On 8^th January 2015, President Sirisena was elected the Executive President on a policy platform of good governance, rule of law and accountability, transparency, re-democratization and reconciliation. The Parliamentary elections held in August 2015 gave a clear mandate for the formation of a national Government to advance these goals and to consolidate the drive towards development, peace and freedom; thereby establishing a society  free from corruption and fear.

Reconciliation is being advanced in a manner that is both inclusive and genuine.  The different communities in Sri Lanka have to, first and foremost, be brought on an inclusive platform of mutual understanding and co-existence.

Sri Lanka is currently engaged in drafting a Constitution that strengthens and entrenches fundamental rights and freedoms – with more power to the people. By co-sponsoring the HRC Resolution 30/1 Sri Lanka has reasserted its commitment to human rights and willingness to work with international partners in addressing issues of concern, while at the same time rebuilding and strengthening relations within the international community. Focus on reconciliation is the new Government’s commitment to fostering national unity, which is essential if we are to strengthen domestic stability and resume our march to become a high income economy.

Overcoming internal contradictions through reconciliation and peace building in our view would empower the government and the people of Sri Lanka in their search for a significant role in the region and in the world.

Our Government is now refocusing attention on repositioning Sri Lanka’s place on the international stage, which was lost during the long years of conflict.

The global power transition to Asia creates both opportunities and challenges for Asia as whole and the Indian Ocean in particular. As noted earlier the paradigm shift in the balance of power affecting the countries of the Asian Oceans – the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean proffer extraordinary opportunities to create something fresh in the global context and something historically and uniquely beneficial to its people.

Sri Lanka’s situation in the nautical corridor between the East and West is of import not only from a geostrategic perspective, but also from maritime economic and security perspectives. On the one hand, the Indian Ocean is a vast source of maritime economic resources, on the other, it is a maritime trading corridor through which nearly two thirds of the world’s oil is transported. Thus, the protection of the Indian Ocean is crucial for the energy, food and national security of many nations. This is where the location of Sri Lanka as a fulcrum of the Indian Ocean demands attention.

Consequently, let us devote a moment to the discussion of the nature of big power rivalry in the Indian Ocean. It is important that we grasp the difference between the power dynamics of the Pacific and the Indian oceans. The Pacific is intrinsic to US Security and therefore has its own power play and strategic spectrum of political interests.

In contrast, the Indian Ocean Region has maintained a multipolar characteristic by entering into partnerships with countries outside the region. The littoral states in the region have always resisted the domination of the Indian Ocean by any single entity.

Therefore it is important that we limit the disputes in the Pacific Ocean from reaching the Indian Ocean. Yet, it is vital that we strengthen political and economic cooperation with East Asian and Pacific countries including New Zealand.

Already our two nations are committed to cooperation in combatting people smuggling, trafficking persons, transnational crimes, terrorism and illegal fishing and other similar security issues in both Asia and the Pacific.

While it could well be that a single Indo-Pacific Region for military security will have the potential to increase the likelihood of such rivalry spilling over to the Indian Ocean. A new initiative, on the other hand, that would ensure freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean will help to reduce the potential for such disputes. This is why a few weeks back in a speech delivered in Singapore, I proposed that SAARC and ASEAN get together to revitalize talks on the freedom of navigation.

Sri Lanka is prepared to play a responsible role jointly with other nations towards ensuring the freedom of navigation from Maldives to the Malacca straits. It is vital to adopt an inclusive approach that invites all stakeholders to discussions concerning the freedom of navigation in the Indian Ocean.

We are also prepared to develop our Naval and Air Forces to fulfill our role in this regard.

In our perspective, the Indian Ocean remains key to Asian prosperity. An Indian Ocean order, which envisages at its core an ocean free of conflict despite competing economic interests – with lanes of communication, ease and safety of passage, secure and sustainable use of resources for the economic advancement of States in an equitable manner, is imperative.

South Asia Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established to promote peace, amity and progress in the region by complementing bilateral and multi lateral cooperation. SAARC’s main function is to be a platform for dialogue at the heads of Government level contributing to the improvement of bilateral relations among members.

Sri Lanka’s request at the inception of SAARC in 1985, to include cross border terrorism was rejected. At the time, this was considered to be a bilateral issue.  Today, cross border terrorism has gatecrashed the SAARC summit.  The recent terrorist attack on the Indian military base in Uri resulted in four member states stating their inability to attend the Islamabad Summit meeting in November this year.  Sri Lanka which is opposed to terrorism in all its form of manifestation, condemned this incident and has expressed regret that the prevailing environment does not permit the meeting.

Yet if SAARC is to play a useful role, the annual summit meetings at heads of Government level must take place.  Therefore, this postponement must be utilized by the member countries to reflect on the question of cross border terrorism. The future of the SAARC depends on an outcome acceptable to all members.  If not, SAARC’s days are numbered. Then, Sri Lanka will have to look for other options.    The future – like in the past will depend on the ocean.

The security and stability of the Indian Ocean is a pre-requisite to enable legitimate economic activity to preserve the maritime environment and seabed.  These geo-political realities require that Sri Lanka build strong bilateral relations with its fellow South Asian members and the Bay of Bengal members of ASEAN. The security of the Indian Ocean is a pre-requisite to achieve our economic objectives.

Our government is also repositioning ourselves to maximise on our bilateral our relationships with both our historic and new trading partners. It must be not be forgotten that Sri Lanka’s geo-strategic position makes us a hub of the Indian Ocean as well as a transshipment port for the Bay of Bengal trade.  To fully tap this potential,Sri Lanka will engage in initiatives with regional players who have major economic stakes in the Indian Ocean.

The India-Sri Lanka Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries will be further expanded and deepened to go beyond trading goods to cover trade in services, investments and technology cooperation. The Governments of India and Sri Lanka hope to finalize an Economic Technology Cooperation Agreement (ETCA) by 2017. The ETCA will enhance the scope of our existing economic partnership agreement to extend freer movement of goods and services with the added emphasis of cooperation in the development of technology. ETCA will provide an impetus to the existing synergies and has the potential to promote a rapid growth of the sub regional economy between Sri Lanka and the five South Indian states, which today accounts for US Dollars 500 billion.

We are also negotiating a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Singapore. Singapore already has a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) with India. Therefore, we believe that by next year the Singapore-India (CEPA), the Indo-Lanka ETCA and the Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA will enable the southern sub region of South Asia and Singapore to establish a tripartite arrangement for trade and investments.

Historically Sri Lanka played a major role in the Maritime Silk Route.  Therefore we are supporting the One Belt – One Road economic initiative.  This will consolidate our position as the Hub of the Indian Ocean while further integrating us with the Asian markets.  We are also negotiating a FTA with China as a part of this initiative.  The Chinese investments will be primarily directed to:

1. Industrialisation and further development of Hambantota Air Sea Hub in southern Sri Lanka and
2. The creation of a Financial City to fill the vacuum for offshore financial service between Singapore and Dubai.

These programmes have no military implications.

The economic cooperation between Japan and Sri Lanka is as important to us as the above mentioned FTAs. We are grateful that four decades of Japanese donor assistance has made a significant impact on our economic and social developments. The two countries are now holding discussions for further closer economic cooperation programme.

We have already made the application to the European Union to regain the GSP+ facility for preferential access to the single market and are hopeful of an agreement by next year.  All these abovementioned measures are a pre-requisite for the Indian Ocean Hub.

Sri Lanka will also institute Free Trade Agreements with the other Bay of Bengal countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.  Similar attention will also be paid to the Western Indian Ocean countries.

For centuries Sri Lanka has had close ties with the West Asian Muslim countries and we are already undertaking talks to further strengthen our economic ties and trade ties with them.

Sri Lanka is also looking forward to strengthening its trade relations both with UK and US, which we have enjoyed since independence.  But this however will depend on the following factors:

1. The outcome of the US Presidential and Congressional Elections of 2016;
2. Negotiations between UK and European Union on Brexit.

Since 2010 Russia has begun to re-assert its economic and political power prioritizing its interests – expanding its global reach and its strategic importance.  This is in another sphere in which Sri Lanka has to strengthen economic relations.

My speech will not be complete without speaking of Sri Lanka’s relationship with New Zealand.  Both are small islands, both live next to large neighbours, both have educated populations, both exist on agricultural economies which are diversifying into other sectors.  Both play cricket and rugby.  We have followed your lead in formulating enlightened social policies.  Our Parliament is currently discussing the adoption of New Zealand’s Mixed Member Proportion election system.

Next, I would like to refer to specific institutions to which both our countries belong  and how we could, together, broaden their mandates.

The Commonwealth Charter which was adopted after UK joined the European Common Market  promotes the “values and aspirations” of democracy, human rights and the rule of law. Understandably at that time there was no focus on trade. However, Intra Commonwealth trade has grown over the years, projected to surpass US $ 1 trillion by 2020. However, the full potential of trade remains yet to be fully tapped.

The Commonwealth economy is growing three times faster than the EU economy and faster than the world average.   Over 2/3 of its population will be within the Sri Lankan hub of touching Africa on the one side of the Indian Ocean and Australia – New Zealand on the other side.

The Kotte Statement on International Trade and Investment adopted by CHOGM 2013 held in Colombo states: “we recognize the potential for growth in intra commonwealth trade and investment as well as the importance of promoting practical measures to overcome constraints to such growth”.

Therefore this is an appropriate time when UK is seeking a new role to give effect to the Kotte Statement by promoting a Commonwealth Framework for Trade and Investment.

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In the six decades of the Colombo Plan of which our two countries were founder members, the role of the state in the economy has shrunk, making way for free market private enterprises, which are fast becoming a part of the Global Value Chain.

We should create space in the Colombo Plan to promote and strengthen the emerging private enterprises in Asia – Pacific with special emphasis on innovation.    This will also require the support from regional financial institutions, including ADB, AIIB, World Bank, JBIC etc.

We both work within the system of international institution with its numerous shortcomings.  Sri Lanka like New Zealand have always believed and worked within the UN system.  Sri Lanka and New Zealand are strong supporters of the UN Multilateral system, which underpins the policy of small states to promote and preserve their interests. We wish Helen Clark, a friend, all the best in her endeavours to become the Secretary General of the United Nations.

Therefore, there are many areas in which we can work together to further promote UN ideals and objectives especially that of inclusive and sustainable  development.  Both our countries are high on the UN development index.  Sri Lanka has already surpassed regional figures.  Therefore we should coordinate efforts to ensure that UN members achieve the 17 goals of UN sustainable development.  The other is cooperating and ensuring the successful implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

The Government of Sri Lanka has a clear vision of what it wants Sri Lanka to be in the world today. As multi-ethnic island nation with a Commonwealth heritage and commitment to the global multilateral system we view New Zealand as a partner on whom we can count on for advice and guidance. Today, Sri Lanka is at an important juncture – faced with historic opportunities and key decisions to make in the political and economic domains at a time when the global political and economic order is also undergoing a radical transformation.  Therefore we will seize this opportunity and reposition ourselves to make a meaningful contribution to the international system.

Joint Statement by New Zealand and Sri Lanka on the Occasion of the Official Visit to New Zealand by the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, 1-3 October 2016

October 3, 2016

At the invitation of Rt. Hon John Key, Prime Minister of New Zealand, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is paying an official visit to New Zealand from 1-3 October 2016, accompanied by Hon. Sagala Ratnayaka, Minister of Law and Order and Southern Development; Hon. Harin Fernando, Minister of Telecommunication and Digital Infrastructure; Hon. Dr. Sudarshini Fernandopulle, State Minister of City Planning and Water Supply; and Hon. Dr. Harsha de Silva, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs.

• Prime Minister Wickremesinghe’s visit reciprocates a visit by Prime Minister Key to Sri Lanka in February 2016. The two Prime Ministers released this joint statement following official talks at Government House on 1 October in Auckland.

• Having welcomed the deepening of the New Zealand–Sri Lanka relationship, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further enhance bilateral relations in the years ahead. The two leaders noted that the reciprocal Prime Ministerial visits in 2016 reflected the importance that both countries placed on their bilateral relations. In this regard, the two leaders agreed to facilitate the holding of regular meetings at the political and senior officials’ levels, including the commencement of Foreign Ministry Consultations.

• Prime Minister Key and Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed their happiness on the progress made on the opening of resident High Commissions in Wellington and Colombo in the near future

• The two Prime Ministers underscored the desire of the Governments of New Zealand and Sri Lanka to further strengthen the bilateral commercial and trade ties, including investment promotion between the two countries.  The two leaders noted the potential for trading in quality products such as Sri Lankan tea and cinnamon and New Zealand dairy products. During the visit, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will deliver a speech at an event hosted by the Sri Lanka New Zealand Business Council in Auckland to encourage greater New Zealand commercial interest in Sri Lanka.

• The two Prime Ministers noted that agricultural cooperation was an important component of the bilateral commercial relationship. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe welcomed the role that New Zealand’s dairy industry has played in Sri Lanka for around half a century. In this regard, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe was pleased to be meeting with Hon Nathan Guy, Minister for Primary Industries, and experience first-hand New Zealand’s leading agricultural technology and approach towards dairy farming by visiting relevant plants and farms in Waikato. The Prime Ministers reaffirmed the importance of the bilateral Dairy Cooperation Arrangement between New Zealand and Sri Lanka and announced the trial of Farm IQ technology being provided to Sri Lankan farmers by the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries.

• Prime Minister Key welcomed the progress that Sri Lanka had made since his visit to Colombo in February 2016 in reducing dairy tariffs and thanked Prime Minister Wickremesinghe for his leadership in this area.  The Prime Ministers discussed the further steps that Sri Lanka planned to take in the period ahead toward full compliance with WTO tariff rates. The Prime Ministers discussed the consequences of Brexit for New Zealand and Sri Lanka and the broader importance of trade liberalisation and the effective functioning of the WTO rules-based trading system. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe described the potential for Commonwealth countries to have more regular discussions on trade and economic issues, as outlined in the ‘Kotte Statement on International Trade and Investment’, 2013.

• The two Prime Ministers noted that both countries shared many similarities, being multi-ethnic island nations with a Commonwealth heritage, and as strong supporters of the global multilateral system which underpinned the ability of small states to promote and preserve their interests. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe expressed appreciation for New Zealand’s important contribution as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. With regard to the candidature of Helen Clark for the post of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe wished her success.

• Prime Minister Key welcomed the Government of Sri Lanka’s continued progress in national reconciliation, including through constitutional reform. Prime Minister Key reiterated New Zealand’s willingness to provide practical support. Prime Minister Key also commended the Sri Lankan Government’s active engagement in regional and international fora.  During his visit, Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will deliver a speech on “Sri Lanka’s Place in the World” at an event hosted by the Asia New Zealand Foundation at the Parliament in Wellington.

• The two leaders also noted the contribution made by tourists, students and approximately 12,000 Sri Lankans settled in New Zealand towards strengthening relations between the two countries.

• Prime Minister Key welcomed the ongoing cooperation between Sri Lanka and New Zealand in the areas of animal health and conservation. The two Prime Ministers also noted their governments’ shared commitment to the conservation of their native flora and fauna and to animal welfare. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe will visit Auckland Zoo, which houses the Sri Lankan elephant “Anjalee”, as well as the Zealandia Ecosanctuary in Wellington.  Accompanied by the New Zealand Conservation Minister Maggie Barry, the Zealandia visit will provide an opportunity for Prime Minister Wickremesinghe to learn more about New Zealand’s approach to conservation.

• Prime Ministers Key and Wickremesinghe noted the shared love of sports between New Zealanders and Sri Lankans, especially in cricket and They welcomed current bilateral cooperation in rugby development, with New Zealand Rugby delivering coaching skills and standards workshops in Sri Lanka this month, and hosting Sri Lankan coaches in New Zealand for training courses in late 2016.

• Prime Minister Wickremesinghe thanked Prime Minister Key and the Government and people of New Zealand for the generous hospitality afforded during his official visit.

WHO certifies Sri Lanka malaria-free

September 7, 2016

Colombo, 5 September 2016: In a remarkable public health achievement, Sri Lanka was today certified by WHO on having eliminated malaria, a life-threatening disease which long affected the island country.

“Sri Lanka’s achievement is truly remarkable. In the mid-20th century it was among the most malaria-affected countries, but now it is malaria-free. This is testament to the courage and vision of its leaders, and signifies the great leaps that can be made when targeted action is taken. It also demonstrates the importance of grass-roots community engagement and a whole-of-society approach when it comes to making dramatic public health gains,” WHO Regional Director, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, said here.

Sri Lanka’s road to elimination was tough, and demanded well-calibrated, responsive policies. After malaria cases soared in the 1970s and 80s, in the 1990s the country’s anti-malaria campaign adjusted its strategy to intensively target the parasite in addition to targeting the mosquito.

The change in strategy was unorthodox, but highly effective. Mobile malaria clinics in high transmission areas meant that prompt and effective treatment could reduce the parasite reservoir and the possibility of further transmission. Effective surveillance, community engagement and health education, meanwhile, enhanced the ability of authorities to respond, and mobilized popular support for the campaign.

The adaptation/ flexibility of strategies and support from key partners such as WHO and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria fast-tracked success. By 2006, the country recorded less than 1 000 cases of malaria per year, and since October 2012, the indigenous cases were down to zero. For the past three-and-a-half years, no locally transmitted cases have been recorded.

To maintain elimination and ensure the parasite is not reintroduced to the country, the anti-malaria campaign is working closely with local authorities and international partners to maintain surveillance and response capacity and to screen high-risk populations entering the country.

Sri Lanka is the second country in the WHO South-East Asia Region to eliminate malaria after Maldives. The announcement of Sri Lanka’s victory over malaria was made at the WHO South-East Asia Region’s annual Regional Committee meeting in the presence of health ministers and senior health officials from all 11 Member States.

The Regional Director said WHO will continue to support the efforts of Sri Lanka’s health authorities as they relate to malaria, as well as the country’s wider public health mission. This outstanding achievement should be a springboard to further public health gains in the country and the South-East Asia Region as a whole.

Source : http://www.searo.who.int/mediacentre/releases/2016/1631/en/

Sri Lanka Government condemns the attack on Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner of Malaysia

September 6, 2016

Secretary of the Ministry calls in High Commissioner of Malaysia

The Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs called in the High Commissioner of Malaysia to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning, 5 September to express the condemnation of the Government of Sri Lanka, on the assault carried out by a group of persons yesterday Sunday 4 September 2016, on Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Malaysia, in a restricted area of the Kuala Lumpur International Airport, while he was in the process of carrying out his official duties.

Expressing disappointment that the Malaysian authorities had failed to provide necessary protection to Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner despite the High Commission bringing to the notice of relevant Malaysian authorities, the need for such protection, in the face of mounting protests especially in the last few days, the Secretary conveyed to the High Commissioner, that the Government of Sri Lanka insists that immediate and swift action is taken to identify the perpetrators and take legal action to the fullest extent of the law; while also taking immediate measures to provide adequate security for the Sri Lanka High Commissioner, including assigning a Personal Security Officer; provide adequate security to the staff of the High Commission, the official residence and the Chancery premises; as well as the Buddhist temple in Sentul, where an incident took place on Saturday 3 September.

The High Commissioner of Malaysia expressed the deepest regret of the Government of Malaysia regarding the incident and informed that the Malaysian law enforcement authorities had already arrested five suspects involved in the incident, and that legal action would be taken against the perpetrators. He assured that the Ministry would be apprised of the details of the investigations, and that appropriate security would be provided, as requested. The High Commissioner also conveyed the deep regret over the incident at the temple in Sentul and informed that steps have been taken since, to provide appropriate security to the temple.

The Ministry will provide further updates when available.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

Attack on Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Malaysia

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirms reports that Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Malaysia had been assaulted by a group of persons at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport today, 4 September 2016.

The Government of Sri Lanka condemns this act of violence on Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner in Malaysia, in the strongest terms.

The High Commissioner is receiving medical attention.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Kuala Lumpur is coordinating with local law enforcement authorities in Malaysia and other relevant local authorities to identify perpetrators and assist with investigations. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Sri Lanka is seized of the seriousness of this incident and is taking all necessary action in this regard through diplomatic channels.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka
Colombo
4 September 2016

මැලේසියාවේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ කොමසාරිස්වරයාට ප්‍රහාරයක්

මැලේසියාවේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ කොමසාරිස්වරයාට අද එනම් 2016 සැප්තැම්බර් 4 වැනි දින කුවාලා ලාම්පූර් ජාත්‍යන්තර ගුවන්තොටුපළේදී පුද්ගලයන් කණ්ඩායමක් විසින් පහරදී ඇති බවට වූ වාර්තා විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය තහවුරු කරයි.

මැලේසියාවේ ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ කොමසාරිස්වරයාට එල්ල කළ මෙම ප්‍රචණ්ඩකාරී ප්‍රහාරය ශ්‍රී ලංකා රජය දැඩිලෙස හෙළා දකියි.

මහ කොමසාරිස්වරයා වෛද්‍ය ප්‍රතිකාර ලබා ගනිමින් සිටියි.

කුවාලා ලාම්පූර්හි පිහිටි ශ්‍රී ලංකා මහ කොමසාරිස් කාර්යාලය, වැරදිකරුවන් හඳුනා ගැනීම සඳහා සහ විමර්ශන කටයුතුවලට සහාය ලබා දීම සඳහා මැලේසියාවේ නීතිය බලාත්මකිරීමේ බලධාරීන් හා මීට අදාළ වෙනත් බලධාරීන් සමඟ කටයුතු සම්බන්ධීකරණය කරමින් සිටියි. ශ්‍රී ලංකාවේ විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය, මෙම සිදුවීමේ බරපතලකම අවබෝධ කරගන්නා අතර මේ සම්බන්ධයෙන් රාජ්‍යතාන්ත්‍රික මාර්ග ඔස්සේ ගතයුතු සියලු පියවර ගනු ලබමින් සිටියි.

ශ්‍රී ලංකා විදේශ කටයුතු අමාත්‍යාංශය
කොළඹ.
2016 සැප්තැම්බර් 4 වැනි දින
—
மலேசியாவிலுள்ள இலங்கை உயர்ஸ்தானிகர் மீதான தாக்குதல்

மலேசியாவுக்கான இலங்கை உயர்ஸ்தானிகர் கோலாலம்பூர் சர்வதேச விமான நிலையத்தில் வைத்து இனந்தெரியாத குழுவொன்றினால் இன்று 2016 செப்டம்பர் 04 இல் தாக்கப்பட்டுள்ளார் என்பதை வெளிநாட்டு அலுவல்கள் அமைச்சின் அறிக்கை உறுதிப்படுத்துகிறது.

இலங்கை அரசாங்கம் மலேசியாவிலுள்ள இலங்கைக்கான உயர் ஸ்தானிகர் மீது புரியப்பட்ட வன்முறையான இச்செயலை வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கிறது. உயர்ஸ்தானிகர் மருத்துவ சிகிச்சை பெற்று வருகிறார்.

குற்றம் புரிந்தவர்களை அடையாளம் காண்பதற்கும் விசாரணைகளுக்கு உதவுவதற்கும் கோலாலம்பூரிலுள்ள இலங்கைக்கான உயர் ஸ்தானிகர், மலேசிய உள்ளுர் சட்ட அமுலாக்கல் அதிகாரிகள் மற்றும் இயைபான உள்ளுர் அதிகாரிகளுடன் ஒருங்கிணைந்து செயற்பட்டுக் கொண்டிருக்கிறார்.

இந்தச் சம்பவத்தின் தீவிரத்தை உணர்ந்து, இராஜதந்திர வழிகளில் இது சம்பந்தமான தேவையான அனைத்து நடவடிக்கைகளையும் இலங்கை வெளிநாட்டு அலுவல்கள் அமைச்சு மேற்கொண்டு வருகின்றது.

இலங்கை வெளிநாட்டு அலுவல்கள் அமைச்சு
கொழும்பு
2016 செப்டம்பர் 2016

Introductory Remarks by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture 2016

August 15, 2016

Introductory Remarks by
Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs &
Chairman of the Board of Management of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS)
Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture – 2016
Colombo, 12 August 2016

It is indeed a great pleasure to welcome a very special guest, Hon. Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway to the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies today to deliver the annual Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture, on the very day Sri Lanka lost one of its finest sons to a sniper’s bullet 11 years ago.

Lakshman Kadirgamar dreamt of a prosperous and peaceful Sri Lanka, united in its diversity and he sacrificed his life in search of durable peace.

Today, the Government of President Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremasinghe has recommenced the task of winning the peace, restoring democracy and securing the bright and prosperous future all Sri Lankans deserve. The foundation of a new Sri Lanka has been laid on the three pillars of democratization, reconciliation and development.

In this short period of time, since coming into office the government has restored Sri Lanka’s democratic credentials and taken significant steps in the area of reconciliation. It was only yesterday, that the Parliament approved the first of our transitional justice mechanisms, the Office of the Missing Persons. With the passage of this bill, Sri Lanka is now ready to commence the healing process of our wounded and fractured nation, coming to terms with the tragedies of our recent past so that we could harness the potential of our nation and its people, to pave the way for a bright and prosperous future our country truly deserves;

Madam Prime Minister,

It is in this background of hope and optimism, we receive you here today to listen to your speech on “Sustainable Development Goals: Working together for our Common Good”.

This is the topic that not only defines the global sustainable agenda until 2030, but also the topic which is of paramount importance for us here in Sri Lanka, as we strive towards rapid economic and social development.

Let me also thank you Madam Prime Minister, for agreeing to sacrifice two days of your vacation in Sri Lanka to accommodate our official programme and to deliver the Lakshman Kadirgamar oration this year.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Prime Minister Solberg is also the Co-Chair for the Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group appointed by United National Secretary General Ban Ki Moon. Prime Minister Solberg also convened the Commission on Financing Global Education. The inaugural meeting of the Commission will be convened in September 2016 during the United Nations General Assembly and focused on the economic case to inspire and persuade the global leaders to action.

Prime Minister Solberg has also been a tireless Ambassador for the Sustainable Development Goals in the developing world with numerous trips to Asia, including Viet Nam and Indonesia, and to Africa, to countries like South Africa, Malawi and Rwanda. Sri Lanka too can benefit from your experiences.

As you may know Sri Lanka’s long history of continued investment in health, education and poverty alleviation programmes, has translated into the country being placed at the 73rd rank with a Human Development Index (HDI) value of 0.757 in the UNDP’s Global Human Development Report (HDR) 2015. Sri Lanka integrated the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) into its development programme early on.

Without further delay – I would now like invite Hon. Solberg Prime Minister of Norway to deliver this year’s Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture on “Sustainable Development Goals: Working together for our Common Good”.

Keynote Address by Irina Bokova, Director-General of UNESCO
to the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies
“Soft Power for Peace and Development – UNESCO and the SDGs”

Colombo, 16 August 2016

Honourable Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka,
Dr Dinusha Panditaratne, Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies,
Honourable Ministers, Ambassadors, UN Colleagues, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I am deeply honoured to speak at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies.

Lakshman Kadirgamar was a great statesman and politician.

He was a man of intellect, a man renowned for his wit.

He was, most of all, a great humanist.

… devoted to human rights and equal dignity.

… committed to peace in Sri Lanka on the basis of respect and dialogue.

You just mentioned, Honourable Minister, how often he cited the Preamble of UNESCO’s Constitutition that we never tire from repeating: “since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” It also reads that a peace based exclusively upon political and economic arrangements does not suffice to be lasting; peace requires the intellectual and moral solidarity of humankind.

This is what Lakshman Kadirgamar aspired to.

He believed profoundly in Sri Lanka as a country united in its rich cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.

In 1999, it was Lakshman Kadirgamar who made the proposal to the United Nations General Assembly to make Vesak Day an international day of celebration.

In October 2001, speaking before the United Nations General Assembly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, he made a passionate appeal for the unity of humanity:

Let us hope such a deep sense of the “togetherness” of all of humanity at times of great crises will continue to be pervasive.

Lakshman Kadirgamar was tragically cut down, but his legacy lives on vibrantly today, here in Sri Lanka and, I would say, across the world.

This Institute is one of his legacies.

Housed in “the lighthouse,” this Institute is guided by a mission that Lakshman Kadirgamar would, no doubt, have approved:

To engage in independent research of Sri Lanka’s international relations and strategic interests, to provide insights and recommendations that advance justice, peace, prosperity and sustainability.

Justice, peace, prosperity and sustainability.

These values have deep roots in Sri Lanka – they are inter-linked and can only be taken forward together.

This requires a new, comprehensive approach to human development and sustainability.

I see this vision guiding the Government of Sri Lanka today.

Last September, before the United Nations General Assembly, His Excellency President Maithripala Sirisena said:

My understanding is not to have sectorally or group-wise isolated development but to have an inclusive model of development that is capable of uplifting development standards globally.

He called this a “universal approach.”

I see this as a definition of the new ‘soft power’ the world needs today, to respond to complex challenges that cross all borders.

These are, indeed, turbulent times.

Globalization is opening vast opportunities for positive change, for trade and prosperity, for cooperation and dialogue.

At the same time, we live in an increasingly fragmented world.

Climate change is accelerating.

Poverty remains enduring, revealing deep inequalities in and between countries.

Conflicts remain aflame, tearing at the fabric of societies, causing humanitarian tragedies.

We see the rise of extremism and violence across the world… with barbaric attacks in Paris, in Brussels, in Tunisia, in Indonesia, in Istanbul and in Iraq.

Today, perhaps more than ever, we must be guided by the values we share, our commitment to humanity as a single family.

This is essential to taking forward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Climate Change Agreement.

I am convinced these must be seen as a single agenda.

An agenda for human rights and dignity.

An agenda for poverty eradication and sustainability.

In the words of its Declaration, this is an agenda “of the people, by the people and for the people.”

No one must be left behind.

Especially the most vulnerable, the most marginalised.

No society stands alone.

We stand together, on the same planet, and we share a single destiny.

The promises of the new agenda embody a new transformative vision for peace and the planet.

The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were developed in a process that involved all States, drawing on the key lesson of the Millennium Development Goals — that success requires national ownership, and that ownership means capacities.

Very often we hear the appeal for a ‘paradigm shift,’ and I agree.

It is a paradigm shift in its commitment to inclusion and ownership.

It is a paradigm shift in its global vision, bringing all countries together, developed and developing, middle income with Small Island Developing States.

Taking this forward calls for connected action across sectors, from education to water management to empowering girls and women, linking progress in human development with effective measures against climate change.

I know the commitment of Sri Lanka to the 2030 Agenda.

We see this in the will that guides Sri Lanka’s unity Government.

We see this in the commitment to yahapaalnaya (good governance) that underpins public policy.

We see this in measures to promote reconciliation on the basis of dialogue and justice, to provide opportunities for a better future to all.

We see this in the new focus on empowering girls and women.

Sri Lanka has suffered the terrible costs of 26 years of conflict – the country is guided today by a new vision of peace, built on respect, on dialogue, on promoting a new horizon for all women and men, drawing on Sri Lanka’s rich and great history of diversity.

I wish to pledge here UNESCO’s support to Sri Lanka in all its efforts to consolidate gains, to catalyse new progress.

This starts with Sustainable Development Goal 4, “to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all,” which UNESCO did so much to shape.

Our starting point is clear.

Education is a human right, essential to dignity and empowerment.

It is a multiplier for more inclusive and sustainable development.

In advancing gender equality, poverty eradication, sustainability — it is a force for peace.

Whether in Tokyo or Nairobi, Asuncion or New York, educating a child is the smartest investment a society can make in its future, in lasting peace.

The evidence is overwhelming.

UNESCO’s forthcoming Global Education Monitoring Report shows that, on average, every additional year of education boosts a person’s income by 10 percent and increases a country’s GDP by 18 percent.

Working with Member States and partners, UNESCO is leading forward the Education 2030 Framework for Action.

We are working to reposition literacy, through the creation of a Global Alliance for Literacy.

UNESCO has long worked with the Government of Sri Lanka, to bolster its efforts to ensure quality education for all, to train teachers, to deepen innovation in vocational and professional training. We know that Sri Lanka has a success story to tell when speaking about literacy and education. Now there is a need to move on quality.

This is embodied in the South Asian Centre for Teacher Development at Meepe, a UNESCO Category 2 Centre, where I will participate tomorrow in a Forum on Quality Education through Effective Teacher Development.

We see the same committment in Sri Lanka’s National Institute of Education, whose ‘Open School Programme’ was awarded the UNESCO King Sejong Literacy Prize on International Literacy Day last year.

This engagement is expressed in Sri Lanka’s work to harness new technologies to drive innovation in education, especially higher education.

In Kandy, I had a rich discussion at the University of Peradeniya with the Vice Chancelor and faculty on the interface between education, science and policy, a subject also at the centre of the dialogue this morning with the Minister of Science, Technoloy and Research and the scientific community.

I look forward to deepening UNESCO’s partnership with Sri Lanka – especially, in advancing education for peace and human rights, education for global citizenship, education for sustainable development, to bolster reconciliation through new skills for dialogue and solidarity.

Empowering girls and women must be a special priority – Sri Lanka is participating in UNESCO’s project, supported by China/HNA, to enhance girl’s and women’s right to quality education through gender sensitive policy-making, teacher development and pedagogy.

This is not only a human rights issue – it is about building more just and inclusive societies.

The benefits reach across the board.

The IMF estimates that if women participated in the labour market to the same extent as men, GDP could increase by 5 percent in the United States, by 9 percent in Japan, and by 27 percent in India.

We know this, but being born a girl remains a primary cause for exclusion today.

Too many girls are still forced to work, married off, taken from school.

The figures are staggering.

Only 60 percent of countries have achieved parity in primary education — only 38 percent in secondary.

62 million girls are denied the right to a basic education.

This throws a shadow over all development.

We must change this situation – and the good news is we can, by focusing on access, on the quality of education, on the transition to secondary education, on the conditions of learning, on teacher training.

These goals guide all UNESCO action in moving forward the 2030 Agenda.

This includes encouraging girls and young women to learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics – the sciences have pride of place in the 2030 Agenda.

Sustainability will depend, indeed, on the capacity of Governments to place science and innovation at the heart of national strategies – it is UNESCO’s role to support them at every level, through policy frameworks, through capacity building, through scientific cooperation. This was the reason for the Science Dialogue this morning, at which I pledged UNESCO’s support for the launching of a National Science Centre in Colombo.

Sri Lanka is a founding member of the South and Central Asian Man and the Biosphere Network – SACAM – hosting four UNESCO Biosphere Reserves as platforms for biodiversity, conservation and sustainability in action.

Science education and education for sustainable development are core parts of our cooperation — building capacity also to implement the Convention on Biological Diversity.

A similar holistic approach guides our work to advance mangrove conservation, through awareness-raising, education and research, community livelihood activities, especially for women.

All this seeks to bolster the resilience of societies, to give them every chance to meet goals they set for themselves.

This must start with respect for human rights, as the compass direction for all action.

I know the importance this message carries in Sri Lanka – this is especially important for reconciliation and dialogue.

In this context, deepening social inclusion and cohesion has never been so important, especially for young people shouldering the heaviest burdens of change, including for migrants and displaced people.

This matters at the national level – it matters also at the city and community level, and I know there five Sri Lankan cities in the International Coalition of Inclusive and Sustainable Cities.

Sustainable Development Goal 16 sets the bar high — to “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.”

The rule of law, good governance, democratic practices as you rightfully mentioned – these are essential for healthy society and sustainable development.

I wish to commend the Government for Sri Lanka for its commitment to freedom of expression and the safety of journalists – let me underline the importance of Sri Lanka’s recent Right to Information Act, which provides access to public information to all women and men.

UNESCO has worked with Sri Lanka, to support media ethics and self-regulation, to promote gender equality in and through the media, to build capacity to report on poverty, to promote the right to information.

I see these as ‘soft power’ drivers for resilience and peace.

This is the importance also of promoting cultural heritage and diversity — as enablers and drivers of sustainable development, as platforms for dialogue and reconciliation.

Sri Lanka has eight sites inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List — I had the chance to visit the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa and the Sigiriya Rock Fortress, as well as the Sacred City of Kandy.

I know the Archives of the Dutch East India Company are inscribed on the UNESCO Memory of the World Register.

All this testifies to the wealth of this country’s heritage, the rich tapestry of its traditions and beliefs.

This heritage has special meaning for the people of Sri Lanka – it carries outstanding universal value for all women and men, as part of the ties that draw humanity together.

I am convinced we can deepen our partnership here, to make the most of Sri Lanka’s cultural heritage and diversity, tangible and living – on the world stage, and as forces for reconciliation and dialogue.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I believe 2015 marked a turning point.

Our task now – our responsibility – is to do everything to translate promises into realities.

To ensure no one is left behind.

To eradicate poverty.

To protect the planet.

To build more lasting peace.

Tackling complex challenges requires determination and cooperation.

It requires leadership most of all.

This is the true test of the 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement – and I wish to thank the Government of Sri Lanka for its leadership, including at UNESCO, where Sri Lanka is a prominent member of the Executive Board – and I wish to recognize here the presence of Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Mr Tilak Ranavirjaja.

I pledge to you today UNESCO’s absolute commitment to support the Government and people of Sri Lanka, to craft a more peaceful future for all.

Last September, at the United Nations, His Excellency President Sirisena said:

Our new vision involves achieving the twin objectives of sustainable development and reconciliation. A fundamental requirement in this context is dealing with the past honestly and building a modern Sri Lankan nation.

You may rest assured UNESCO will walk with you every step of the way.

Thank you.

Eid celebration in Canberra

August 10, 2016

The Sri Lanka High Commission hosted a reception to celebrate Eid on 5 August 2016. The Sri Lankan Muslim community in Canberra and friends, as well representatives of the Sri Lankan community organisations in Canberra participated.

After welcoming the guests High Commissioner Skandakumar in a brief speech reflected on the values of the month of Ramadan as being an example to all. It was a period in which the mind and body were disciplined and spiritualism took precedence over all else and materialism in particular.

Read More »

Esala Weerakoon appointed as Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs

August 2, 2016

Mr. Esala Weerakoon, member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service batch of 1988 received his letter of appointment as the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, today 1st August 2016, from the Secretary to the President.

He has served as High Commissioner to India and Ambassador to Norway. His foreign postings include assignments as Actg. High Commissioner to Seychelles, Deputy High Commissioner in Sri Lanka’s High Commission in Canberra and Deputy Chief of Mission in Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Washington DC. He has also served in Sri Lanka’s Missions in the United Kingdom, Japan, Malaysia and France. Apart from serving in different Divisions in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he has also worked as Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Housing and Samurdhi.

Mr. Weerakoon assumed duties at Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo

1st August 2016

South Asian Diaspora Convention 2016 Panel on Geopolitics of South Asia Singapore, 18 July 2016 Speech by Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera MP

July 21, 2016

Following Minister Balakrishnan’s incisive speech and amidst such a distinguished panel, there is little unique insight that I can shed on the geopolitics of South Asia.

But one specific lens I can offer is that of South Asia’s only island state and the South Asian state with the largest per capita diaspora population.

From Sri Lanka’s perspective South Asian geopolitics is closely tied to Indian Ocean geopolitics and is undergirded by an over-arching environment of rising inter-connectivity and inter-dependence.

These two overlapping regions are inextricably linked. K.M. Panikkar, the late Indian diplomat and historian, correctly identified the Indian sub-continent as a quintessential Rimland; that is a region whose fundamental interests and future are tied to their coastlines and the seas beyond.

By using this appellation Panikkar was emphasizing that the Indian Sub-continent, divided from the Asian hinterland by the Himalayas, is – whether it likes it or not – geographically destined to look outward onto the Indian Ocean rather than inward into Tibet or Central Asia. And of course, over centuries and even millennia this fact of nature has resulted in the sub-Continent becoming the central node of trading links, cultural connections and diasporic communities that constitute the web of the Indian Ocean World. As a result, today, there is little doubt that the Indian Ocean is of central, if not pre-eminent, significance to South Asia.

In turn, at this time of global transitional, as the unipolar world order is on the wane with the rise of China and India, the Indian Ocean is quickly becoming a theater of global geopolitical interest and potential rivalry.

As such, it would be a great and ironical tragedy if Asia’s hard won independence, economic development and rising living standards led to conflict and violence rather than peace and stability. Therefore, it is our collective responsibility to identify and implement ways and means of ensuring that Asia’s rise creates the conditions for regional and global stability as opposed to chaos.

Such thought and action is of principal importance during this period of flux when the old order is being cast aside but the new order has yet to emerge. This period of strategic opportunity brings with it the prospect of putting in place the framework of values, principles, norms, conventions and institutions necessary for peace well before the mortar had dried on a faulty foundation.

This responsibility is made all the more acute as it is the first time that we Asians will be key players in determining the architecture of our regional maritime order which has been controlled by external powers more or less since Alfonso of Alberquerque made the Indian Ocean a Portuguese lake in the early 16thCentury.

We in Sri Lanka have learnt our lessons the hard way. After years of violent conflict, which has created such a large, diverse and vibrant Sri Lankan diasporic community across the globe, we know that creating rules developed by legitimate, representative and inclusive institutions and imbued with universal values is essential for peace and stability.

I don’t think it would be naïve to say, that like in Sri Lanka, in a very fundamental sense, parties with an interest in the Indian Ocean have a greater convergence of interests than divergence. Interdependence between economies and peoples is at historically unprecedented highs, there is growing understanding that trade is imperative for development and there is little appetite for risking an optimistic future to conflict and instability.

In addition, there are also very specific instances were interests converge, for example both India and China have a shared concern with keeping the Hormuz and Red Sea choke-points open to free maritime passage.

In this context of macro-convergence and limited mciro-convergence a framework for regulating power in the Indian Ocean and beyond is required. Of course, such a framework must be flexible enough to respond to strategic changes, for example if unexpectedly fast Indian growth shifts the regional balance of power, but it must also effectively constrain, channel and process the exercise of power.

First, such a framework will need to maintain and uphold the rules-based international order and the principles that undergird them. It is this very order that has so successfully prevented a global conflict since the Second World War, provided a sense of security for millions of people living in small states such as mine and perhaps most importantly providing the bedrock for our unprecedented collective economic prosperity.

Preserving the sovereignty of states, including their sovereign right to pool sovereignty and share it, must naturally be a cornerstone of this framework for peaceful development. And in the context of the Indian Ocean ensuring peaceful development requires a stable maritime environment including the freedom of navigation and unimpeded commerce in accordance with international law. Naturally, the UN Convention of the Law of the Sea, which was significantly shaped by Sri Lankans such as Shirley Amerasinghe, is an integral component of this framework. But there are many other global commons and areas of connectivity, such as the environment, where rules-based systems at the global and regional level will become ever more necessary.

Great care must be taken to ensure that rules are perceived to be legitimate and institutions that create and enforce them are inclusive and representative. They must be accepted by all the major stakeholders, by the haves and the have-nots and they must be have the consent of both the strong and the weak. Whether we like it or not, global and regional bodies need to take into consideration balances of power – whether economic or otherwise. Failure to do so will lead to parallel, competing bodies or norms and ultimately lead to institutional instability and stress on the norms and rules that have served us so well.

Such a framework is unlikely to amount to much without a set of common values. One useful starting point for the development of common values for the Indian Ocean region and beyond is the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence outlined at the Colombo Powers Conference over half a century ago. The values underlying these principles can provide a starting point for updating and expanding the Five Principles to reflect the realities of an increasingly inter-connected, inter-dependent and complex world where the concept of Westphalian sovereignty is increasing outdated and irrelevant.

This brings me to my second point, interdependence. Perhaps more than any conscious design, the effects of technological innovation and globalization have helped avert conflict. We need to continue to build inter-dependence into our regional and global frameworks. Increasing economic interdependence between East Asia and South Asia – both through bilateral and ‘mega’ trade deals like the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership- can play an important role in strategically stabilizing the region. Improved sea, air and land connectivity through smarter regulation and greater investment in connectivity could also be an important catalyst. In this context, the Maritime Silk Road, Indo-Pacific Economic Corridor and other initiatives are very welcome, especially if they can provide a transparent, rules-based, inclusive, institutionalized and principled means of facilitating cooperative development.

Allow me to conclude by noting that building understanding and confidence is a tremendous task that will require great courage, political will and perseverance. But we have a useful example in the region in the form of ASEAN. Both South Asian and East Asian countries have a great deal to learn from this example as we navigate the transitions in the short, medium and long terms. And just as Singapore has over the years helped stakeholders come together and work towards their common interests in South-East Asia, Sri Lanka, the Gateway to South Asia, which is also fast becoming the hub of the Indian Ocean and who maintains excellent relations with all relevant stakeholders, too will play a constructive role in promoting dialogue and cooperation for peaceful development in the region.

Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera seated between Singapore’s Foreign Minister, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, and Ambassador-at-Large and Chairman of the Institute for South Asian Studies, Gopinath Pillai.