Sept 21, Colombo: President Ranil Wickremesinghe held a productive discussion with Secretary General of the Commonwealth Patricia Scotland on the sidelines of the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 20th.

The discussions between Sri Lankan President and Commonwealth Chief revolved around crucial aspects of the ongoing cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Secretariat. They also delved into the implementation of decisions made by leaders during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held last year in Rwanda.

A key focal point of their exchange was the pressing issue of climate change and the challenges associated with climate financing, especially for developing nations.

This discussion gains particular significance in the context of the upcoming 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) related to climate change. President Wickremesinghe expressed his commitment to taking a lead role in aligning the efforts of the Commonwealth member states in formulating a unified stance on these critical matters.

The two leaders emphasized the collective commitment to further strengthen ties and cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth on these vital issues.

The meeting was attended by Foreign Minister, Mr. Ali Sabry, President’s Secretary Mr. Saman Ekanayake, UN Permanent Representative Mr. Mohan Peiris, President’s Advisor Mr. Dinesh Weerakkody and senior officials from both Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Secretariat.