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SL’s first resident High Commissioner to New Zealand presents credentials
Sri Lanka’s first resident High Commissioner to New Zealand, Prasanna Gamage presented his Letter of Credence to the Governor-General of New Zealand, Dame Cindy Kiro at the ceremony of presentation of credentials held at the Government House in Auckland, New Zealand on 31 January 2025.
This event marks a significant milestone for Sri Lanka – New Zealand bilateral relations, further strengthening diplomatic, trade, sport, education, tourism, and people-to-people ties between the two countries.
High Commissioner Gamage conveyed warm greetings from the President of Sri Lanka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Government of Sri Lanka, and expressed Sri Lanka’s commitment to furthering cooperation with New Zealand. He emphasized Sri Lanka’s keenness to work closely with New Zealand in collaborating in multilateral forums and addressing global challenges. High Commissioner Gamage also briefed the Governor-General on the recent political and economic developments of Sri Lanka.
Governor-General Dame Kiro extended her best wishes to High Commissioner Gamage and reaffirmed New Zealand’s commitment to fortifying bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. She underscored the significant contribution of the Sri Lankan community in New Zealand and welcomed the establishment of the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Wellington.
The Sri Lankan Government is in the process of finalizing logistical arrangements in establishing the High Commission in Wellington, which will soon be open to the public. This Mission will serve as the diplomatic representation of Sri Lanka in New Zealand, facilitating enhanced bilateral economic engagement with New Zealand and providing essential consular services to Sri Lankan nationals. The Government of Sri Lanka is committed to ensuring the smooth functioning of the mission and developing closer ties between the two countries.
This milestone highlights Sri Lanka’s commitment to expanding its diplomatic outreach in the Asia-Pacific region and enhancing partnership with New Zealand. The High Commission’s establishment will open new avenues for collaboration, bringing mutual benefits to both countries and their people.
High Commissioner Prasanna Gamage is a member of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service. He joined the Foreign Service in 1998 and served as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to VietNam from 2019 to 2022.
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GoSL to develop unique Food Security Index for SL
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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GoSL to develop unique Food Security Index for SL
Several Opp. MPs walk out of Parliament
