Sri Lanka’s Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath is scheduled to travel to New York on September 26 to represent Sri Lanka at the 81st United Nations General Assembly and deliver the country’s national statement on September 28.
The 81st session of the UN General Assembly opened on September 8, while its High-Level Week and General Debate are being held from September 22 to 28 in New York. The session is being conducted under the theme, “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations That Delivers for All.”
The General Debate is taking place against a backdrop of ongoing conflicts, humanitarian crises, climate change, widening inequalities and growing concerns over the effectiveness of the multilateral system. The UN programme also places emphasis on sustainable development, sea-level rise, pandemic preparedness, nuclear disarmament, human rights and the governance of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence.
Minister Herath’s address on September 28 will provide an opportunity for Sri Lanka to present its position on key international issues and outline its foreign policy priorities at the global forum.
Ahead of the General Assembly, Herath met with UN Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka Marc-André Franche on September 7 to discuss matters relating to the upcoming session and Sri Lanka’s priorities. The discussions also covered Sri Lanka’s more than 70-year partnership with the UN, the UN80 process, the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework and the country’s Third Voluntary National Review on the Sustainable Development Goals.
The visit is also expected to provide opportunities for Sri Lanka to engage with foreign ministers and senior UN officials through bilateral and multilateral meetings on issues of mutual interest.
The UN has identified six broad priorities for the 81st session, covering peace and security, sustainable development, climate resilience, human rights and humanitarian action, digital governance and artificial intelligence, and reforms aimed at strengthening multilateral cooperation.
Herath’s participation comes after President Anura Kumara Dissanayake attended and addressed the 80th UN General Assembly in 2025. This year, Herath will represent Sri Lanka at the High-Level Week in his capacity as Foreign Affairs Minister.
