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New UNDP Resident Representative takes office
Azusa Kubota presented her credentials yesterday (9) to Ali Sabry, Minister of Foreign Affairs, officially taking office as the new Resident Representative for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Sri Lanka.
Prior to her appointment in Sri Lanka, Ms. Kubota served as the Resident Representative at UNDP, in Bhutan, for four years, where she led the work of the Bhutan Country Office to transform UNDP into a more nimble, innovative thought leader, more effective and efficient at delivering results as a trusted partner.
Before her tenure at UNDP, in Bhutan, Kubota served as the Manager and Head of Office of UNDP, in the Solomon Islands, and the UN Joint Presence Manager for UNDP, UNICEF, UNFPA and UNWOMEN. She has previously served as the Deputy Resident Representative (Programme and Operations) of UNDP Lao PDR (2014-2016) and the Maldives (2011-2014). She was also with the UNDP Evaluation Office in New York (2006-2011), where she led country-level evaluations of UNDP’s contribution in several countries, as well as global thematic evaluations.
Kubota has also worked in UNDP in Malawi, as well as for NGOs in Senegal, Lesotho and Washington D.C.
With close to 25 years of experience in international development, Kubota has been instrumental in shaping policy and programming for development planning and evaluations along with strategic partnerships.
A national of Japan, Kubota holds a Master’s Degree in International Affairs in Economic and Political Development from the School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia University, New York, USA; and a Bachelor’s Degree from Smith College, Northampton, USA. She has spent a semester at Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, Dakar, Senegal, and studied French at Middlebury College, Vermont, USA.
While presenting her credentials to the Minister, Kubota stated, “UNDPs new Country Programme (2023-2027) comes at a critical juncture when Sri Lanka is experiencing severe socio-economic hardships. UNDP will continue to support Sri Lanka’s development efforts by pushing boundaries on interlinked and complex issues to drive transformational change. As we enter a new chapter, the priorities for UNDP are clear: we need to bring about integrated development and lasting solutions for a sustainable, green and inclusive recovery for Sri Lanka, to not only build a better world for tomorrow – but to build that better world today.”
New controversy erupts over missing USD 2.5 mn:
Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku has sought citizenship details of Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma from the Department of Home Affairs, Australia.
According to a letter dated 28 April, addressed to the relevant department, Solicitor England and Wales Kodituwakku sought the required information in terms of Section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act No 3 of 1982 of Australia. Suriyapperuma is also the Secretary to the Treasury.
The former Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Suriyapperuma (from November 2024 to June 2025) is embroiled in a deepening controversy over the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
The leader of the Vinivida Foundation said that he intended to move court against Suriyapperuma for entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of the country’s Constitution (Article 91(1)(d)(xiiii).
Kodituwakku said: “This is clearly an accountability and integrity issue and violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka and also this act contravenes the law of a member in the Commonwealth.”
USD 2.5 mn paid to a third party was meant to be an instalment of a loan taken from Australia. Suriyapperuma neither responded to an SMS nor answered his hand phone.
Geetha Kumarasinghe (UPFA/Galle District) and Diana Gamage (SJB National List) lost their seats in 2017 and 2024, respectively, over citizenship issues.
Meanwhile, public interest group ‘Free Lawyers’ that exposed the theft of Treasury funds questioned the failure on the part of Dr. Harsha de Silva, Chairman of Committee on Public Finance (CoPF), to pressure President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to temporarily remove Suriyapperuma to facilitate unhindered investigations.
On behalf of ‘Free Lawyers’, Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon yesterday expressed concern over the way the CoPF, under SJBer de Silva’s leadership, handled the issue at hand. Issuing an open letter, Tennakoon, urged the CoPF chief to explain his stand on a spate of vital issues which needed to be addressed without any further delay.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
News
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake handing over a sapling of the Sri Maha Bodhiya in Anuradhapura to Ven Bhikku Pannakara (Sue Tue Nhan) at the conclusion of the 161 km ‘International Peace Walk’ in Colombo yesterday. The Bo-sapling will be taken to the US by the spiritual leader. Pic by Sujata Jayaratne
Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday revealed that a USD 625,000 payment made by Sri Lanka’s Department of Posts to the US Postal Service (USPS) had not been received by the intended party.
The declaration was made at the post-Cabinet media briefing.
According to the Minister, an investigation has been initiated into the incident.
The Minister said that an investigation was underway within the Sri Lanka Postal Department regarding the missing funds paid to the US Postal Service.
He added that the US Postal Service has indicated the non-receipt of a payment amounting to USD 625,000, and that investigations were being conducted by both the Postal Department and the CID to determine how the incident occurred.
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