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Chinese Ambassador underlines strong bonds with Sri Lanka as China donates more vaccine
The friendship between Sri Lanka and China had reached new heights during the Covid-19 pandemic, Qi Zhenhong, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka said on Thursday night at the Bandaranaike International Airport while handing over another batch of Sinopharm vaccine to Sri Lankan officials.
On 31 March China had donated 600, 000 doses of the Sinopharm vaccine to Sri Lanka and another batch of 500,000 vaccines arrived in the country on Tuesday night.
Ambassador Zhenhong said that COVID-19 is the common enemy of everyone and unity and solidarity are the most powerful weapons fighting the pandemic.
“At the Global Health Summit on May 21st, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced that China has offered 2 billion US dollars in aid so far to developing countries as well as free vaccines for 80 countries with 43 other countries importing its vaccines. In continued support for global solidarity against COVID-19, China will provide an additional 3 billion US dollars in international aid over the next three years, provide more vaccines to the best of its ability, and support its vaccine companies in transferring technologies to other developing countries including Sri Lanka, and carrying out joint production with them,” he said.
The ambassador said that on April 27th, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and their Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan counterparts reached a series of important consensus and concrete outcomes, on jointly responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and recovering the economy. The arrival of the vaccines yesterday is a direct delivery of their consensus and outcomes.
“Since the outbreak of the pandemic, China and Sri Lanka have always supported and helped each other, lifting our traditional friendship to a new height. As a good neighbour, good friend and good partner of Sri Lanka through thick and thin, no matter what in the past, present or future, as long as something is beneficial to Sri Lanka, China will never be absent. As long as some work delivers benefits to the Sri Lankan people, China will not hesitate to do it,” Ambassador Zhenhong said.
Minister of Health, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, State Minister of Pharmaceuticals Production, Prof. Channana Jayasumana, Minister of Sports, Namal Rajapaksa, Minister of Tourism, Prasanna Ranatunga, State Minister of Aviation D.V Chanaka, President’s advisor Lalith Weeratunga and Airport Chairman Major Genaral (ret) G.A Chandrasiri were present at the airport to receive the vaccines.
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Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
The Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and the Russian House in Colombo unveiled a plaque at the public library Colombo today (29th April) in honour of the 80th anniversary of victory day.
Victory Day is celebrated on the 9th of May, the day Nazi Germany was defeated in World War II. It is an important date in the Russian calendar and an integral part of Russian culture.
The plaque was jointly unveiled by the Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Sri Lanka Lenav Dzhagaryan and Ms Maria Popova Counsellor of the Russian Embassy in Sri Lanka and Director of the Russian House in Colombo
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Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
It has been recognized that the state enterprises should be re – structured and maintained with proper administration with the assistance of local or foreign investments without being a continuous burden to the General Treasury and the country’s economy. Therefore, it is the policy of the new government to introduce an efficient and accountable mechanism in the regard. An initial draft named “State Commercial Enterprises Management Draft Bill” has been already prepared to introduce a new legal framework required for maintaining after performing necessary restructuring and with proper management of government owned business companies. Thereon, it will be possible to totally free the state entrepreneurship establishments from political influences and appoint professionals with proficiency for its board of directors.
Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers approved the proposal furnished by the President in his capacity as the Minister of Finance, Plan Implementation and Economic Development to grant policy approval of the Cabinet of Ministers for the said initial draft and appoint a special committee with the following composition to submit appropriate proposals for further enhancing after reviewing the initial draft:
• Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha Fernando, Minister of Labour and the Deputy Minister of Economic Development – (Chairman)
• Hon. Sunil Handunneththi Minister of Industries and Entrepreneurship
• Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co – operative Development
• Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Sooriyapperuma Deputy Minister of Finance Plan Implementation
The Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the proposal submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi, a special grade officer in Sri Lanka Administrative Service who served in the post of Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Buddha Shasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, to the post of Commissioner General of Official Languages with immediate effect.
Russian Embassy, Russian House, unveil plaque at Public Library in honour of 80th anniversary of victory day
Ministerial committee appointed to review and further enhance ‘State Commercial Enterprises Management draft bill’
Thilak Nandana Hettiarachchi appointed Commissioner General of Official Languages
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