Sri Lanka’s President attends UN Economic & Social Council sessions

Sep 19, 2017 (LBO) – The Sessions of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) was commenced on September 18 at the UN Headquarters in New York. President Maithripala Sirisena also participated at this Sessions which is only participated by the Heads of States. During the meeting it was discussed in detail regarding how the UN must work in the future and paid their special attention in further improving the efficiency of the UN, developing cooperation as well as reducing the administrative expenditure and to provide maximum benefits to the member states. A large number of states leaders including US President Donald Trump participated in this event. The General Debate of the 72nd Session of the United Nations General Assembly is scheduled to commence today, on the theme “Focusing on people: striving for peace and a decent life for all on a sustainable planet . President Maithripala Sirisena will address the UN General Assembly in the afternoon of 19th September. He will also participate at the opening session of the General Assembly in the morning of 19th September where the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump, is scheduled to make his first address to the United Nations. This is the first General Assembly Session that is being held since Secretary-General António Guterres assumed Office as Secretary-General. President Sirisena will participate in the lunch being hosted by the Secretary-General for Heads of State and Government and heads of delegation to the 72nd UNGA. Additionally, the President will meet with the Secretary-General on the 23rd of September for bilateral discussions that will focus attention on the progressive nature of the relationship between the United Nations and Sri Lanka under President Sirisena’s leadership and how this constructive and meaningful relationship could be further enhanced to benefit the people of the country. President Sirisena will also attend the Reception being hosted by President Trump, for Heads of State and Government and Heads of Delegation who are in New York to attend the 72nd UNGA. The President will also join the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Theresa May, the Prime Minister of Malta Joseph Muscat and other Commonwealth Heads of Government at a Reception on the same evening. The Sri Lanka delegation, demonstrating its commitment to addressing climate change and taking steps to protect the environment, will participate in a Summit that is to be chaired by the French President, Emmanuel Macron, on a ‘Global Compact for Environment’. Demonstrating the National Unity Government’s commitment to combat forced labour, modern slavery and human trafficking, Sri Lanka will join a ‘Call to Action to eradicate Forced Labour, Modern Slavery, and Human Trafficking’ that has been convened by the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Theresa May. As a reiteration of its commitment to Open Government including the Right to Information, the Sri Lanka delegation will also participate in the Meeting of the Open Government Partnership that is to be headed by the French President Emmanuel Macron and the Prime Minister of Georgia, Girgi Kvirikashvili. The High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein will call on the President to discuss about progress in human rights in Sri Lanka under the National Unity Government. Additionally, the Sri Lanka delegation is scheduled to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement Ministerial Meeting, the Informal Meeting of the SAARC Council of Ministers, the Ministerial Meeting of the Commonwealth, the Ministerial Meeting of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue, and that of the Group of 77.