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8 Lankans among the released crew of the detained vessel by Nigerian High Court

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Eight Sri Lankans were among the crew released by the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Port Harcourt on April 28, 2023, along with the vessel M/T Heroic Idun, which was under detention over disputed oil smuggling allegations, since August 2022 in Nigeria and the Equatorial Guinea.

The out-of-court settlement reached between the Nigerian authorities and Idun Maritime Ltd., the vessel owner, enabled the High Court to end the detention of the vessel and dropping of the charges.

The vessel was detained along with 26 crew members, including 8 Sri Lankans. Sri Lanka will coordinate with the vessel owner regarding the repatriation of the Sri Lankan crew at the earliest, once the conditions are fulfilled by the shipping company, which will arrange the safe return of the crew.

As requested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, the High Commission in Nairobi, which is concurrently accredited to Nigeria, provided assistance and ensured the welfare and safety of the Sri Lankan crew until the legal process was over. Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Kenya, Veluppillai Kananathan, met the Sri Lankan crew in Lagos, Nigeria, on November 13, 2022, and took necessary action to ensure their welfare and accommodation on board the vessel, instead of being sent to judicial custody. High Commissioner Kananathan ensured payment of salaries and other entitlements to the Sri Lankans in full. The High Commissioner was able to convince the shipping company to enhance the salaries of the Sri Lankan crew until their release.

The High Commission worked jointly with the Indian High Commission in Abuja, as the crew also comprised 16 Indian nationals.

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GoSL to develop unique Food Security Index for SL

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The government is currently prioritizing the development of a country-specific Food Security Index, with the goal of completing the initiative within the next three months.

This tailored index is expected to better reflect Sri Lanka’s unique food security landscape, addressing the limitations of global indices such as the Global Food Security Index (GFSI), which have been criticized for failing to capture the nuances of the local context. Policymakers have also noted that existing data is often insufficient or imprecise, making it challenging to develop effective strategies.

The proposed index aims to identify key national priorities and guide food security policy over the next five years.

As a first step in this effort, a workshop titled “Identifying a Suitable Food Security Index for Sri Lanka and Formulating a Strategic Plan” was held today (17) at the Colombo City Center. Organized by the Food Security Expert Committee in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP), the event brought together experts and stakeholders from across the sector.

Delivering the opening remarks, Senior Additional Secretary to the President Kapila Gunaratne emphasized the importance of the initiative, stating that the development of a precise, country-specific index is a vital step toward ensuring both economic stability and national food security. The workshop focused on the four key dimensions of food security; availability, accessibility, utilization and stability and explored how these can be incorporated into a comprehensive and practical national index.

Participants included members of the Food Security Expert Committee, such as Senior Professors Buddhi Marambe and Jeevika Weerahewa, along with representatives from various government agencies, academic institutions, the FAO, the WFP and the private sector.

(President’s Media Division)

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Several Opp. MPs walk out of Parliament

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Several opposition members of Parliament have walked out of the Parliament chamber today (June 17.) in protest over the actions of the Speaker of House, according to Chief Opposition Whip Member of Parliament Gayantha Karunathilleka.

MP Karunathilleka noted that several MPs including those from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), walked out of Parliament after the Speaker refused to allocate time to discuss the on-going Iran-Israel conflict.

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SL – France sign key debt restructuring agreement

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Sri Lanka and France signed a bilateral agreement yesterday (June 16) in Colombo, marking a major milestone in Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, the Ministry of Finance announced.

The bilateral agreement was signed by Mahinda Siriwardana, Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development, on behalf of the government and William Roos, Assistant Secretary, Multilateral Affairs, Trade and Development Policies Department, Directorate-general of the Treasury, on behalf of the government of France.

The statement by the Finance Ministry added that the government of France played a pivotal role in spearheading Sri Lanka’s external debt restructuring process, co-chairing the Official Creditor Committee alongside Japan and India.

The Ministry noted that the agreement would further strengthen the longstanding bilateral relationships between the two nations.

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