Sri Lanka Reaffirms Support for UN Secretary General

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has addressed media reports suggesting that Sri Lanka did not sign the Joint Letter supporting the UN Secretary General, following the recent declaration by Israel's Minister of Foreign Affairs designating the UN Secretary General as “persona non grata”.

Its said that in a Note Verbale dated October 11, 2024, Sri Lanka expressed its intention to be a signatory to the Letter supporting the UN Secretary General, communicated to the Permanent Mission of Chile in New York, which coordinated the Joint Letter.

It added that Sri Lanka has consistently supported the Palestinian cause and shown solidarity with the Palestinian people over the years, adding that the country has raised serious concerns about the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza at various multilateral forums and has supported calls for an immediate ceasefire.

Sri Lanka continues to back the essential humanitarian efforts of the United Nations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including ongoing support for UNRWA.

Sri Lanka also strongly condemned the recent attack on UNIFIL's headquarters in Naqoura, South Lebanon, which injured two Sri Lankan peacekeepers.

Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, in a statement to the diplomatic corps in Colombo on October 14, emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety and security of UN personnel and the inviolability of UN premises.

Sri Lanka chairs the UN Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories, established by United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2443 in 1968.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka fully supports the Joint Letter, defending not only the Secretary General but also the UN mandate itself.