News

Sri Lanka to assume IORA Chairmanship for 2nd time

Published

8 months ago

September 6, 2023

editor

Sri Lanka will assume the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) for the period 2023 to 2025 at the forthcoming 23rd Council of Ministers’ Meeting hosted by Sri Lanka on 11 October 2023 in Colombo.

The Council of Ministers’ Meeting will be preceded by the 25th Meeting of the Committee of Senior Officials. This is the second time that Sri Lanka will assume the IORA Chairmanship, having previously served as the Chair from 2003 to 2004.

The Indian Ocean Rim Association is the only intergovernmental regional forum that brings together 23 littoral states of the Indian Ocean. There are also 11 Dialogue Partners in the Association. Sri Lanka is a founding member of the Association. The Indian Ocean Rim Association marked its 25th anniversary in 2022.

The Council of Ministers is the highest decision making body of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, and Foreign Minister Ali Sabry will be the Chair of the Council of Ministers during Sri Lanka’s Chairmanship. Foreign Secretary Aruni Wijewardane will chair IORA Senior Officials Meeting preceding the Council of Ministers.

Sri Lanka has chosen ‘Strengthening Regional Architecture: Reinforcing Indian Ocean Identity’ as the theme for its Chairmanship of IORA. Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the 23 Member States and the 11 Dialogue Partners or their representatives and Senior Officials are expected to attend the Indian Ocean Rim Association Council of Ministers and Committee of Senior Officials meetings in Colombo in October 2023.

The Member States of the Indian Ocean Rim Association are Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Somalia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Yemen. The Dialogue Partners are China, Egypt, Germany, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, UK and USA.

The primary objectives of the Indian Ocean Rim Association are to promote regional economic integration, enhance trade and investment, facilitate sustainable development, and strengthen maritime safety and security and it focuses on several priority areas, including maritime safety and security, trade and investment facilitation, fisheries management, disaster risk reduction, academic and scientific cooperation, tourism and cultural exchanges, and women’s economic empowerment.

The Secretariat for Sri Lanka’s Chairmanship of IORA will function under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs headed by Executive Director General Prof Sudharshan Seneviratne, former High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Bangladesh. Officials of the National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA) and Sri Lanka Navy will be attached to the Secretariat, along with senior officials of the Foreign Ministry.

(Ministry of Foreign Affairs)

News

Concessionary vehicle permits: MPs have their way, ignoring economic crisis

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2024

nipuni

Despite the cost of living sizzling at red hot levels and the country being cash- strapped, the House Committee of Parliament has endorsed the proposal to offer concessionary vehicle permits for MPs as requested by them, a top source said.

The source familiar with the decision said the committee which looks into the requirements of the MPs positively considered the request by them for such permits in line with the similar facilities offered to executive graders in different categories of the public service.

The MPs , numbering more than 100 and representing different parties, submitted a letter to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena asking for permission to import vehicles with no duty for their use.

Following the approval by the House Committee, the Speaker is expected to write to President Ranil Wickremesinghe who is authorized to execute the decision as the Finance Minister.

After constitution of every Parliament, the MPs are given vehicle permits . However, the MPs elected to the current Parliament at the 2020 general election did not get the benefit due to the economic crisis and the ban on vehicle imports to save foreign exchange.

The government is now mulling the possibility of lifting the ban. The MPs are likely to get permits once the ban is lifted only.

In the past, there were reports about the MPs selling off their permits and earning multimillion rupee revenue each.

(dailymirror.lk)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by dailymirror.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)

News

CAA seizes 176,000 kg of rice unfit for human consumption

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2024

nipuni

Officials at the Anuradhapura unit of the Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) have seized over 176,000 kg of rice unfit for human consumption during a raid.

It has been revealed that the stock was taken to a mill for repackaging with the intention of being distributed among low-income families under a government programme.

CAA officials had conducted the raid when the rice was being mechanically cleaned and repackaged after being taken to a privately owned mill in the Kiriibbewa area by 08 lorries. It is said that the expiry date of the new packaging had been deviously extended by a month.

The rice mill had been sealed while the police had arrested the owner, reports add.

(Source : Aruna)

News

NMRA to introduce ‘security sticker’

Published

4 hours ago

May 13, 2024

nipuni

The National Medicines Regulatory Authority (NMRA) states that they will introduce a security ‘sticker’ to verify registered medicines in the market.

The move hopes to counter several irregularities in the pharmaceutical field such as the entering of substandard and dangerous medicines entering Sri Lanka through unregistered importers.

Speaking to media yesterday (May 12), NMRA Chairman Dr. Ananda Wijewickrama has said that they hope to implement the new move within a month or so.