I congratulate you, Sir, on
being elected as the President of the General Assembly
at its sixty-ninth session. We wish you success and
assure you of our fullest cooperation.
The theme for this session “Delivering on and
implementing a transformative post-2015 development
agenda”, is timely. The world has undergone many
changes since the United Nations was created, and
since the year 2000 much progress has been made
towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
However, there are multiple challenges that still remain
to be addressed. The moral and practical importance of
creating an equitable world and a sustainable planet for
this purpose cannot be ignored.
The Commonwealth, of which Sri Lanka is the current
Chair-in-Office, accounts for more than one-quarter
of the United Nations membership. In November 2013
the Commonwealth Heads of Government agreed
in Colombo to contribute to the process of evolving
the new post-2015 global development agenda. They
have endorsed the central focus on the eradication
of extreme poverty and reaffirmed commitments to
sustainable development. The perspective on the post-
2015 development agenda is based on shared values
and principles contained in the Commonwealth Charter
and individual experiences. The Commonwealth
leaders encourage others to approach the forthcoming
intergovernmental negotiations in a collaborative spirit
to achieve a balanced post-2015 development agenda.
Reducing inequality within and among countries
is one of the most transformative goals that have been
proposed by the Open Working Group on Sustainable
Development Goals. We hope that this goal will serve
to enhance the voice and representation of developing
countries in decision-making. The post-2015 agenda
must focus on implementation. Achieving the
sustainable development goals would be impossible
without the political will and dedication of all countries.
It must be ensured that the failure of the developed
countries to fulfil Millennium Goal 8 that called for a
global partnership for development is not repeated.
In determining goals, countries must not be
deprived of policy space to set their own domestic
priorities. Instead of asking countries to reprioritize
domestic spending, the focus should be on a
strengthened partnership between developed and
developing countries, backed by sincere commitment.
That is essential for countries in the South to access
financial resources and technology that are essential for
capacity building. It is vital that we also address
structural obstacles and political barriers that prevented
the realization of the Millennium Development Goals,
such as unfair trade and investment rules. Creating
a supportive international economic environment,
enhanced investment flows, including from multilateral
development banks, and an open multilateral trading
regime, are important.
The role of the United Nations in advancing
international peace, security and prosperity is crucial
in the contemporary world. However, in order to gain
the confidence and good will of the international
community as a whole, one of the essential requirements
is consistency of standards across the board without
any perception of selectivity or discrimination. It is in
this context that the current functioning of the system
needs examination in order to enhance its credibility.
Human rights are used as a tool to implement motivated
agendas with no understanding or appreciation of
the complexity of issues in the countries concerned.
Human rights should be recognized by all as a moral
and ethical concept rather than as a political tool.
External intervention without adequate consideration
of the structures in a society and cultural traditions
of countries where such intervention takes place,
inevitably results in destabilization, which is very much
in evidence today in most parts of the world.
Post-conflict Sri Lanka has also become an
unfortunate victim of ill-conceived agendas of some
in the Human Rights Council who pay scant regard
to the substantial progress achieved by Sri Lanka in
reconstruction, rehabilitation and reconciliation within
a short span of five years. There is an obvious lack
of balance and proportion in the manner in which my
country is being targeted today, disregarding these
significant achievements. That is in sharp contrast to
the approach to deeply disturbing situations involving
humanitarian emergencies elsewhere.
If multilateralism is to remain relevant and
effective, reform of the institutions concerned is
essential. To be successful this process must involve
de-politicization of the United Nations systems and
mechanisms and they must stop being a hostage to
different forms of funding. United Nations bodies must
find ways to work with governments through dialogue,
greater understanding of situations, and cooperation,
including assistance to strengthen national institutions.
This approach, instead of strong-arm tactics, must form
the heart of multilateral diplomacy in the search for
sustainable solutions to global challenges.
The seventieth year of the United Nations in 2015
also marks the tenth anniversary of the 2005 World
Summit where global leaders agreed to support early
reform of the Security Council. Concrete results in this
regard should be achieved next year at least.
Climate change is one of the defining challenges of
our times. A robust global response needs to be arrived
at in 2015 on the basis of equity and the principle of
common but differentiated responsibilities.
The increase in violence in the Middle East is
deeply distressing. I reiterate Sri Lanka’s support for
the early realization of a sovereign, independent, viable
and united State of Palestine, existing within secure
and recognized borders, side by side and at peace
with Israel. We look forward to welcoming Palestine
as a full Member of the United Nations at the earliest.
The international community must assist Palestine to
rebuild the country.
Sri Lanka firmly believes in the need for solidarity
between Asia and Africa. Admiring the efforts of the
people of Africa to achieve socioeconomic development,
Sri Lanka has begun a process of reaching out to
countries in Africa for an exchange of knowledge and
expertise in areas of importance. The international
community must strongly support the early eradication
of deadly diseases in Africa.
Sri Lanka remains committed to supporting all
multilateral efforts to counter terrorism deriving from
extreme ideologies impacting on people across national
frontiers. Terrorism continues to be a grave threat to the
security and stability of nations throughout the globe.
Having suffered at the hands of terrorism, Sri Lanka
knows well its drastic impact on societies, communities
and institutions founded on democratic traditions and
ideals. The international community must strengthen
multilateral action on terrorism, including the early
finalization and adoption of the United Nations
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism.
Sri Lanka is also committed to supporting all
multilateral efforts to counter terrorism financing,
piracy and all forms of international organized crime.
We wish to recall our appeal to the international
community not to support terrorist groups in any way,
either directly or indirectly. Sri Lanka expresses its
concern regarding bombings that kill innocent civilians
and even unborn children in many situations across the
world.
Sri Lanka expresses deep concern regarding
unilateral economic measures against developing
countries and is a consistent supporter of the call of the
General Assembly for an end to the unjust economic,
commercial and financial embargo against Cuba.
Unilateral sanctions of this nature, which impact on a
country’s innocent population, are unethical.
Despite being affected by terrorism, Sri Lanka has
achieved most Millennium Development Goals. Sri
Lanka has succeeded in being ranked ahead of all South
Asian countries in the 2013 Human Development Index.
Through the adoption of the National Development
Strategy — the Mahinda Chinthana, or Vision for the
Future — the Government of Sri Lanka embarked on
an inclusive and rural-centric development programme.
That involved bold policy decisions connected with
macroeconomic management, revitalization of
agriculture, infrastructure development, including
roads and expressways, ports and airports, irrigation and
water distribution, a strong telecommunication network
and well-distributed urban and township development
resulting in 7.8 per cent gross domestic product growth
this year and per capita income of $3,280 in 2013. It
is also a matter of deep satisfaction to recognize that
the economic and political empowerment of the people
of the North, supported by massive investment in
infrastructure and livelihoods, have also contributed to
this growth.
Sri Lanka’s information technology literacy grew
steadily from a mere 3 per cent in 2005 to almost
50 per cent in 2014. Sri Lanka’s Nenasala Programme
was awarded the prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation Award as the best rural information
technologyaccess programme in the world.
With the end of terrorism in May 2009, in keeping
with my responsibilities to my people, large-scale post-
conflict reconstruction, rehabilitation and resettlement
initiatives were implemented in the north in a relatively
short period of four years. Most importantly, democratic
structures in the North have been re-established.
Elections to the Northern Provincial Council were held
in September 2013 after a lapse of 28 years, upholding
the democratic tradition in Sri Lanka which has been
consistently protected since 1931, the year we attained
universal franchise.
I recall in this context the visit to Sri Lanka of the
Secretary-General just a week after the conclusion of
the conflict, when a new era of peace had dawned. That
was a manifestation of the close cooperation between
my country and the United Nations and our commitment
to working together in the future.
We continue on a deeply satisfying and transformative
journey in the interests of all the people of Sri Lanka. In
carrying out this task we work in accordance with our
traditional foreign policy of friendship towards all and
enmity towards none. We hope that the international
community will reciprocate and assist Sri Lanka in
its domestic process of reconciliation and economic
development without exerting undue pressure on us.
We have gained inspiration from the words of
Gautama the Buddha who said that the purpose of all
human endeavour must be to construct order out of
chaos and harmony out of strife. True to these words
of wisdom, the Government of Sri Lanka remains
committed to its objective of pursuing the processes of
reconciliation and nation building, undeterred by ill-
motivated criticism.