Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for a comprehensive preparedness plan based on the assumption that the worst possible weather and climate scenarios could occur.

Addressing the Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Change, Premadasa said rapidly changing weather and climate patterns could result in droughts in one part of the country while another experiences heavy rainfall, creating serious disruptions to public life.

Premadasa said weather forecasts inherently involved uncertainty, as predicted events might or might not materialise, but this should not be a reason for failing to prepare for severe outcomes.

Premadasa stressed the need for Sri Lanka to closely monitor the potential effects of El Niño, La Niña, the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) and prepare in advance for their possible consequences.

He said the impacts of the climate phenomena should be assessed across all vulnerable sectors, including water resources and reservoirs, drinking water supplies, irrigation, hydropower generation, agriculture, food security and disaster risks such as droughts, floods and landslides.

The Opposition Leader also called for special attention to coastal and fishing communities, energy generation, wildlife and biodiversity, stressing that all stakeholders should be involved in preparing for possible climate-related emergencies.

He said the Government, non-governmental organisations and civil society should work together to formulate a coordinated response rather than dealing with disasters only after they occur.

Premadasa argued that Sri Lanka’s existing disaster management arrangements were no longer adequate to deal with emerging climate challenges and called for a new, integrated mechanism centred on advance preparation and risk reduction.

He cited India’s Odisha State as an example that Sri Lanka could study in developing such a mechanism. Parliament has previously discussed Odisha’s disaster management approach, including its emphasis on early preparedness and evacuation ahead of major disasters.

Premadasa also noted that the Parliamentary Caucus on Climate Change had discussed El Niño and La Niña conditions ahead of wider international concern over their potential impacts.

The meeting was held under the joint chairmanship of Premadasa and Prof. L. M. Abeywickrama. As Prof. Abeywickrama was unable to attend, MP Lal Premanath participated as Acting Co-Chair.

Among those who attended the meeting were Prof. Rathnasiri Prematilake, Vageesha Pereira representing the United Nations, Robert Oliver, Dr. Buddhika Hapuarachchi, Uvinson Gnanatheepan, Dr. Weerakoon and Nalin Munasinghe.

Gampaha District MP Dr. Kavinda Jayawardena is scheduled to address an international roundtable in Brussels, Belgium, on Tuesday (29) on strengthening political parties against foreign interference and other forms of malign influence.

The roundtable, titled “Political Parties Under Pressure – How to Strengthen the Resilience of Parties Against Malign Influence from Third Actors,” is organised by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS) in collaboration with the European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP).

Jayawardena will participate as an invited speaker and deliver an input statement during the opening panel, which will examine challenges faced by political parties in Europe and other regions from foreign information manipulation and interference, covert financing, cyber operations and disinformation campaigns.

He is expected to present a Sri Lankan perspective on such threats and discuss measures to strengthen democratic institutions and the resilience of political parties.

The event will bring together representatives of European political foundations, experts from European Union institutions and think tanks, and participants from partner regions around the world.

The discussions will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

N.M. Ameen, founding patron and former President of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, was felicitated with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his more than three decades of service to the organisation.

The award was presented at the Special Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum held on Saturday (26) at the Department of Government Information Auditorium.

The meeting was presided over by Forum President M.P.M. Fairooz.

Turkish Ambassador to Sri Lanka Dr. Semih Lütfu Turgut attended the first session as Chief Guest, while former Ambassador and senior diplomat P.M. Amza delivered the keynote address. Director General of the Department of Government Information Harsha Bandara also attended as a guest.

The Forum’s new website, www.slmmf.lk, was officially launched during the event, while a new training programme aimed at developing the next generation of journalists was also inaugurated.

The annual activity report of the organisation was released and a remembrance session was held in honour of deceased members.

During the second session, attended by Forum members, a proposed amendment to the organisation’s Constitution was unanimously approved and adopted.