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Sri Lanka to assume IORA Chairmanship for 2nd time

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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)

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Let’s build a nation rooted in historical heritage (Pics)

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that a society cannot progress without a meaningful connection to its historic heritage and that the nation’s development path must be chosen accordingly.

The President made these remarks while addressing a ceremonial gathering yesterday (July 10) afternoon at the historic Ruhunu Kataragama sacred site.  

Earlier in the day, President Dissanayake visited the sacred grounds of Kataragama, participated in religious observances and later paid a courtesy call on the Venerable Kobawaka Dhamminda Nayaka Thera, the Chief Incumbent of the historic Kirivehera Rajamaha Viharaya, inquiring about his well-being and engaging in a brief discussion.

The President also attended the final Randoli Maha Perahera (Golden Chariot Grand Procession) of the annual Esala Festival at the Ruhunu Kataragama Maha Devalaya, where he witnessed the ceremonial placement of the sacred relic casket upon the relic bearing tusker.  

Addressing the gathering, President Dissanayake further emphasised that a nation can only move forward by maintaining continuity with its historic heritage. He noted that every developed country in the world has achieved progress by preserving its historical legacy and building upon it, stressing that Sri Lanka, too, must choose a development path anchored in its heritage.

The President highlighted that Buddhism played a pivotal role in transforming our society into a cultured civilisation and that cultural festivals like this help revive and strengthen the moral and social values of a society often preoccupied with material pursuits.  

He pointed out that the Ruhunu Kataragama Perahera has been held continuously for 2,186 years, spanning nearly a hundred generations and that its survival has been possible due to the deep connection between this cultural ceremony and the lives of the people. The President extended his gratitude to all those, including the Chief Incumbent, who contributed to the success of this year’s procession.  

Among those present at the occasion were Deputy Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, R.M. Jayawardena, Governor of the Uva Province, Attorney-at-Law Kapila Jayasekara, Member of Parliament Ruwan Wijeweera, Chairman of the Kataragama Pradeshiya Sabha, Dharmapala Herath and Monaragala District Secretary Pasan Ratnayake.

(President’s Media Division)

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Charges against Keheliya & others postponed

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The Colombo Permanent High Court Trial-at-Bar has postponed the formal serving of charges against former Health Minister Keheliya Rambukwella and 12 others to Sep. 16, citing delays in the printing of annexures required to accompany the chargesheets.

Deputy Solicitor General Lakmini Girihagama, appearing for the prosecution, informed the court that while the chargesheets had already been filed, the annexures had not yet been submitted due to printing delays. She noted that it would cost approximately Rs. 866,565 to print the annexures for each accused and that the documents for all twelve defendants are yet to be prepared.

The Government Printer has indicated that it would take about 21 days to complete the printing. Therefore, the prosecution requested the court to reschedule the case accordingly. The court granted the request and fixed the next hearing for Sep. 16.

The Attorney General has filed 13 charges against the accused, including allegations of conspiring to fraudulently misappropriate Rs. 1.444 billion in public funds by supplying 6,195 vials of human immunoglobulin and non-pharmaceutical substances such as Ritopsimap to the Ministry of Health’s Medical Supplies Division.

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UK’s relaxed trade rules to boost SL exports

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The Government of the United Kingdom (UK) has unveiled a package of reforms to simplify imports from developing countries like Sri Lanka after upgrades to the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).

The changes, announced as part of the UK’s wider Trade for Development offer, aim to support economic growth in partner countries, including Sri Lanka, while helping UK businesses and consumers access high-quality, affordable goods.

New measures include simplifying rules of origin, enabling more goods from countries such as Sri Lanka, Nigeria, and the Philippines can enter the UK tariff-free, even when using components from across Asia and Africa.

These changes are expected to be in place by early 2026.

This move strengthens Sri Lanka’s position in its second-largest apparel market, supporting exports, jobs, and economic growth.

The British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, Andrew Patrick, said: “This is a win for the Sri Lankan garment sector, and for UK consumers. With the UK being the second largest export market and garments making up over 60% of that trade, we know manufacturers here will welcome this announcement.

“We want Sri Lanka to improve the utilisation of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme for a wider range of goods, not just garments. With the Sri Lankan government’s ambition to grow exports, and with the simplification of rules of origin for other sectors too, we strongly encourage more exporters to explore how they can benefit from the preferences offered by the DCTS. The UK remains committed to working towards creating shared prosperity for both our countries.”

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