The Sri Lanka Foreign Policy and Economic Diplomacy Dialogue, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, commenced on Monday ( 15 October) with the participation of mid-career diplomats from 23 countries from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and Australasia.

Representatives of 40 countries were in Sri Lanka from 11-12 October 2018 to discuss the future of the Indian Ocean. “The Indian Ocean: Defining Our Future” , Track 1.5 dialogue  brought together senior representatives from the Indian Ocean littoral states and major maritime users to Colombo on an initiative by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, to increase focus on an Ocean that has the potential to become a growth pole in the world economy in the future.

“The Indian Ocean: Defining our Future” Conference, which aims to create a platform for Indian Ocean littoral states and major maritime users to discuss issues of mutual interest and concern, will be held in Colombo on 11-12 October 2018.

This Conference is held at a time when the Indian Ocean has emerged as one of the world’s busiest and most critical trade corridors, carrying two thirds of global oil shipments and a third of bulk cargo and hosting the most critical Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs), directly impacting global trade and economy.

I am extremely pleased to participate in the 73^rd Session of the United Nations General Assembly representing Sri Lanka for the fourth consecutive occasion.  Sri Lanka, as a Member State of the United Nations, is fully committed to adhere to its Charter,

On behalf of the people and the government of Sri Lanka, I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the General Assembly for organizing the Nelson Mandela Peace Summit.

We speak today of Nelson Mandela, a great humanitarian, a leader who exemplified reconciliation, and a leader who guided humanity towards a nobler path, at a time when the contemporary world lacks such leaders.

State Minister of Foreign Affairs Vasantha Senanayake visited Slovenia at the invitation of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Slovenia Karl Erjavec to attend the 13^th Bled Strategic Forum, which was held on 10-11 September 2018. The theme of this year’s Forum was “Bridging the Divide”.

The Member States of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) met in Colombo on 4-5 September, 2018 and finalized the Terms of Reference (ToR) at an initial workshop held for the setting up of the Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security.

Sri Lanka was handed over the Chairmanship of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), at the conclusion of the 4th  BIMSTEC Summit held in Kathmandu, on 31 August 2018 .