News
Sabry, Wijedasa conclude working visit to South Africa
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry, accompanied by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, concluded the 3 day working visit to South Africa from 21-25 March 2023 where they studied the concept of a Truth and Reconciliation mechanism.
The following is the text of a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry yesterday: “It is recalled that the Cabinet of Ministers in January this year approved the concept of a Truth and Reconciliation mechanism as proposed by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Reconciliation, which is chaired by President Wickremesinghe. The proposed concept states that an independent, domestic mechanism of truth seeking is identified as a meaningful way for Sri Lanka to advance and secure peace, after the country’s arduous journey of ending conflict of three decades. The Cabinet also authorized the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice to operationalize this concept and to initiate discussions and facilitate the drafting of a Truth and Reconciliation law. It is in support of this process, the current visit took place at the invitation of the South African Government.
During the visit, the two Ministers paid a Courtesy Call on the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and held bilateral meetings with the Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa Naledi Pandoor and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional and Constitutional Development Ronald Lamola. They also met with former South African President Thabo Mbeki as well as Roelf Meyer, former Minister of Constitutional Development and one of the chief negotiators, along with President Ramaphosa, for the end of apartheid in South Africa and paving the way to the first democratic elections in the country. Meetings were also held with officials from the Public Prosecutions Office of South Africa, the Pan African Bar Association of South Africa, “Freedom park”, “In Transformation Initiative” and the “Institute for Justice and Reconciliation”.
During the call on President Ramaphosa, the South African President warmly recalled his friendship with President Wickremesinghe and said that he wishes to further consolidate the bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. He further stated that South Africa is committed to sharing their experiences in relation to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission with a view to assisting Sri Lanka in the reconciliation process.
Foreign Minister Sabry and Minister Pandoor exchanged views on important bilateral issues as well as the current situation in Sri Lanka. Minister Sabry especially briefed the South African Minister on the progress being made by the Government of Sri Lanka with regard to national efforts on reconciliation and the promotion and protection of human rights. While acknowledging that the South African model would need to be adapted to the Sri Lankan context, both Ministers agreed to work together in sharing experiences and expertise in developing the contours of a truth-seeking mechanism that would best suit the needs of the Sri Lankan people.
The interactions with the South African Minister of Justice and other experts provided valuable insights with regard to the South African experience in the establishment of their Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
As part of the official visit to London for the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, held discussions with academic experts from the British Council on Wednesday [20 May 2026].
The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in education, particularly in the areas of teacher training, English language programmes, education frameworks, and language acquisition skills.
The British Council shared international experience and highlighted its ongoing engagement in Sri Lanka, while expressing readiness to support the country through technical assistance, teacher development initiatives, and policy collaboration.
Discussions also included views on improving quality assurance, expanding research collaboration, and enhancing learning opportunities.
The Prime Minister appreciated the British Council’s continued engagement in Sri Lanka and reiterated the importance of deepening partnerships.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division’
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, who is currently on an official visit to the United Kingdom, met with members of the Sri Lankan community living in London on Wednesday [20th] and engaged in cordial discussions.
Despite the event being held on a weekday, it was notable that nearly one thousand Sri Lankans representing the Sinhala, Tamil, and Muslim communities attended with great enthusiasm.
Addressing the gathering, Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that despite natural disasters and international crises, the present government has succeeded in stabilizing the country’s economy while providing relief to the people. She further noted that Sri Lanka’s political culture has now undergone a positive transformation that is irreversible.
Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj, addressing the event, stated that a governance system has now been established in the country where all communities are treated equally and the benefits of economic development are shared fairly among all citizens.
Moving away from the traditional method of political gatherings, the event also provided an open platform for members of the Sri Lankan community to directly raise questions and express their views to the Prime Minister and the Minister.
Commenting on the organization of the event, the organizing committee stated that all expenses, including dinner, were borne by the participants themselves. The organizers further remarked that it is unsurprising that opposition groups, accustomed to organizing such events through the misuse of public funds, appear unsettled by this transparent process.
The occasion was attended by the Minister of Women and Child Affairs Saroja Paulraj and Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya currently undertaking an official visit to London, United Kingdom, to participate in the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026 held a bilateral meeting with the Yvette Cooper MP, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom ON Wednesday [20]. The Prime Minister was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Nimal Senadheera, along with officials from the Sri Lankan High Commission.
During the meeting, the Prime Minister conveyed Sri Lanka’s appreciation to the United Kingdom for the support extended in the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwa, including ongoing rebuilding and recovery assistance. The Prime Minister also commended the United Kingdom’s support in facilitating increased bilateral trade and exports for Sri Lanka.
The Prime Minister briefed the UK delegation on Sri Lanka’s recent economic developments and policy priorities, the Government’s commitment to advancing human rights and reconciliation, as well as Sri Lanka’s positive growth trajectory.
The two sides also exchanged views on current global geopolitical developments, challenges in the energy sector, and the importance of enhancing regional connectivity and long-term energy security.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of strengthening structured academic mobility frameworks while ensuring fairness, clarity, and integrity within migration systems.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation between the two countries in areas of mutual interest.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
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