As global markets place increasing emphasis on sustainable and deforestation-free supply chains, Sri Lanka’s rubber sector is taking proactive steps to strengthen its competitiveness. These efforts are being advanced through a European Union-supported capacity-building initiative to meet emerging international requirements.

More than 80 stakeholders from across Sri Lanka’s rubber value chain gathered in Colombo recently to help shape the country’s response to the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), a key sustainability measure that will influence future access to European markets.

Participants at the Stakeholder Consultation Workshop included government institutions, plantation companies, smallholder farmer organisations, processors, exporters, manufacturers, industry associations, and development partners.

Organised by the Rubber Development Department in collaboration with the European Union-funded Green Recovery Facility, implemented by Expertise France under the EU Global Gateway strategy, the workshop formed part of ongoing efforts to enhance Sri Lanka’s readiness for the EUDR and strengthen the long-term sustainability and resilience of the country’s rubber sector.

Designed to foster deforestation-free supply chains and sustainable agricultural production, the EUDR supports global commitments on climate action, biodiversity conservation and forest protection. For Sri Lanka, which has been classified as a ‘low-risk’ country under the Regulation, it presents an opportunity to advance sustainability across the rubber sector, strengthen traceability and due diligence mechanisms, and reinforce its position as a trusted supplier in global markets.

The workshop forms part of a broader initiative under the EU-funded Green Recovery Facility to support the sector’s adaptation to EUDR requirements. Combining assessments, stakeholder consultations and targeted capacity-building activities, the initiative seeks to enhance traceability and due diligence practices across the rubber value chain while helping safeguard continued access to key export destinations.

The initiative underscores the European Union’s commitment to promoting sustainable production systems, environmental stewardship and the long-term competitiveness of Sri Lanka’s export sectors. Opening the workshop, Gunadasa Samarasinghe, Secretary of the Ministry of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, emphasised the importance of ensuring that Sri Lanka’s rubber sector remains competitive and well-positioned to respond to evolving sustainability expectations and seize emerging opportunities in international markets.

Discussions explored stakeholders’ current levels of awareness and compliance with the EUDR, the role of government institutions in supporting implementation, international best practices and available traceability tools, and the priority capacity-building needs of actors across the rubber value chain.

The recommendations generated through the workshop will help shape the design of the initiative’s capacity-building programme, including the development of a three-and-a-half-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme and stakeholder-specific training activities. The initiative is expected to directly train approximately 280 stakeholders across the rubber value chain, further strengthening the sector’s readiness to meet EUDR requirements. Positioning Sri Lanka’s rubber sector for a more sustainable, competitive and globally compliant future, the initiative will continue to build the capacities needed to meet evolving international market expectations.

Addressing the Informal Exchanges on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the Military Domain and its Implications for International Peace and Security, on 15 June 2026, at the United Nations in Geneva, Ambassador and Permanent Representative Sumith Dassanayake highlighted Sri Lanka’s strong position to negotiate a legally binding instrument to address the challenges and concerns posed by emerging technologies in the area of Lethal Autonomous Weapons Systems (LAWS).

In his intervention, Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake emphasised that on-going discussions in the UN system should evolve beyond autonomous weapons systems and need to increasingly focus on new and emerging AI capabilities such as AI Decision Support Systems (AI-DSS), AI cyber capabilities, integrating AI into nuclear weapons etc.

Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake further underscored that the application of AI in the military domain raises serious concerns regarding human responsibility, accountability, the increased risk of miscalculation and escalation of potential violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL). Sri Lanka strongly advocates for human centrality throughout the life cycle of AI in Military Domain and strongly opposes the dehumanization of decision-making and the transfer of life-and-death decisions to machines and algorithms.

The informal exchanges were convened in Geneva pursuant to the mandate of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 80/58 presented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea. Sri Lanka also voted in favour of the resolution.

A high-level delegation from Sri Lanka’s Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic in Kandy visited the historical Borobudur Temple in Central Java on Tuesday as part of a Religious Familiarization Trip aimed at enhancing cultural, spiritual and people-to-people ties between Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

The Embassy of Indonesia in Colombo said that the delegation comprised Ven. Dr. Pannila Ananda Thero, Justice of the Peace; Director of International Affairs Gamini Ranjit Bandara; and Coordinating Secretary for Buddhist Affairs W.M.R.L. Jayampathy Weddagala.

The visit to Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlighted the longstanding historical and cultural links between the two countries and underscored the role of religious heritage in fostering mutual understanding and friendship.

Built between the 8th and 9th centuries, Borobudur remains one of Indonesia’s most significant cultural landmarks and a major destination for Buddhist pilgrims and visitors from around the world.

The visit also drew attention to Indonesia’s presence at the International Buddhist Museum within the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic complex in Kandy, where a dedicated exhibition featuring a miniature replica of Borobudur Temple showcases Indonesia’s rich Buddhist heritage to international pilgrims and visitors.

Officials said the Religious Familiarization Trip provides an important platform to promote religious tourism, strengthen Buddhist cultural exchanges and explore opportunities for cooperation in heritage preservation, educational exchanges and pilgrimage tourism.

Such initiatives are expected to contribute to stronger cultural diplomacy and closer bilateral relations between Indonesia and Sri Lanka, they said.

The Embassy of Indonesia in Colombo welcomed the continuing collaboration between the two countries and expressed hope that the visit would further deepen the bonds of friendship and spiritual connection between the peoples of Indonesia and Sri Lanka.