COLOMBO (NewsRadio); President Ranil Wickremesinghe has held discussions with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, in a significant diplomatic meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.
The President’s Media Division said the discussions between President Wickremesinghe and the Secretary General Scotland revolved around crucial aspects of the ongoing cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The PMD said they also delved into the implementation of decisions made by leaders during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held last year in Rwanda.
A key focal point of their exchange was the pressing issue of climate change and the challenges associated with climate financing, especially for developing nations.
This discussion gains particular significance in the context of the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) related to climate change.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe expressed his commitment to taking a lead role in aligning the efforts of the Commonwealth member states in formulating a unified stance on these critical matters.
Furthermore, Secretary General Scotland briefed President Wickremesinghe on the progress of the Marlborough House Dialogue, an initiative aimed at engaging with the Diaspora community.
This dialogue seeks to foster connections and collaboration with Sri Lanka’s global Diaspora for mutual benefit.
Notably, the meeting was attended by Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, UN Permanent Representative Mohan Peiris, President’s Advisor Dinesh Weerakkody and senior officials from both Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Secretariat, emphasizing the collective commitment to further strengthen ties and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth on these vital issues.
