Minister Gunawardena to meet with Human Rights High Commissioner on Friday

Minister of Foreign Relations, Dinesh Gunawardena who leads the Sri Lanka delegation to the 43rd Session of the Human Rights Council He will meet the High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet on Friday.

The Minister is scheduled to address the High Level Segment of the Human Rights Council (HRC) tomorrow, where he will formally inform the Council Members of  the decision of the Government of Sri Lanka to withdraw its co-sponsorship of Resolution 40/1 of March 2019 on ‘Promoting reconciliation, accountability and human rights in Sri Lanka’, which also incorporates and builds on preceding Resolutions 30/1 of October 2015 and 34/1 of March 2017.  

Minister Gunawardena will also respond to the Oral Update on Sri Lanka by the High Commissioner on Thursday.

The Sri Lanka Delegation to the current Session includes State Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha, Additional Secretary to the President Admiral (Retd) Jayanath Colombage, Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, Director General of the UN and Human Rights Division of Ministry of Foreign Relations Mr. M.R.K. Lenagala, Senior State Counsel Kanishka Balapatabendi, Brigadier E.S. Jayasundara from the Ministry of Defence and Coordinating Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Relations  Subash Sri Wijethunga.

Acting Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Dayani Mendis and relevant staff will join the delegation during the session and meetings, the Foregin Relations Ministry said.