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Tuesday, 18 May 2010 05:32 |
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has proposed that the G 15 worked very closely with the G 8 to promote constructive dialogue on all major aspects of development. He said a clear methodology needs to be worked out for this dialogue to be realistic and fruitful.
Addressing the G 15 Summit in Tehran, President Rajapaksa said that the G 15 with its unique composition representing about 33 % of the world population, with clearly identified objectives has the potential to play a constructive role in promoting people- centered development initiatives in global economic and social policy dialogues.
For this reason the G 15 stresses the need for reforms in the international financial architecture to better enable it to monitor, respond and to prevent financial and economic disasters. To attain this objective there must be an open, inclusive and transparent dialogue.
President Rajapaksa added, that the Bretton Woods Institutions when working with the developing countries should take into account their specific conditions as well as structural constraints they confront. ‘These Institutions should refrain from imposing conditionalities which we see in retrospect, did lead in their own way to fuelling the recent crisis,’ he continued.
President Rajapaksa also said ‘the developing world has not run away from its responsibility to contribute to the progressive liberalization of global trade. It is all the more regrettable that we are yet waiting the conclusion of the Doha Round of negotiations in the WTO and the delivery of its development mandate. The G 15 must remain firm that the final package should address the concerns of the developing countries.’
The Sri Lankan President stressed that there must be increased market access for the goods and services of export interest to us. They should not tie up with politically motivated conditionalities.
Referring to climate change President Rajapaksa said, ‘it is an issue towards which we in the developing world owe limited, if not little historical responsibility. It must be recognized that the present trend should lead to the reduction of the environmental and carbon emission space available for developing countries in such a manner as to impact on our entitlement to development. In this situation, it is the principles of equity and of common but differentiated responsibilities as enshrined in the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change that provide the direction for our future guidance’.
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Tuesday, 18 May 2010 04:53 |
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In taking over the Chair, I commit to continuing to further strengthen the voice of our Group on the international stage. I have every confidence that in this task, Sri Lanka would receive the fullest co-peration and support of all Members of the Group, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa accepting the Chairmanship of G 15.
The strong unity this Group has always projected, complemented by its rich diversity, will go a long way towards contributing to the achievement of its objectives, he said.
President Rajapaksa added, ‘combating poverty, overcoming hunger, universal access to education and health and ensuring sound standards of living for our people have and will continue to be, the highest riorities for all of us’.
President also said that G 15 has an environment conducive to taking the Group forward and re-vitalizing its role, despite successive crises in the food, energy and financial sectors.
Sri Lanka will host the 15th G15 Summit in 2011.
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Monday, 17 May 2010 08:33 |
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed the eight member ‘Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation’ Commission to report on the lessons to be learnt from the events in the period, Feb 2002 to May 2009, their attendant concerns and to recommend measures to ensure that there will be no recurrence of such a situation.
The Commission has been charged with reporting whether any person,group or institution directly or indirectly bears responsibility in this regard.
It is also charged with reporting on measures to be taken to prevent the recurrence of such concerns in the future and promote further national unity and reconciliation among all communities.
The appointment of this Commission follows cabinet approval to a memorandum by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. It states that it has been apparent for quite some time to the Government, that the conflict situation due to the very brutality and long duration of the violence perpetrated against Sri Lanka, would have caused great hurt and anguish in the minds of the people, that requires endeavours for rehabilitation and the restoration of democratic governance complimented by measures for reconciliation.
The cabinet noted that the President had sanctioned Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative in the UN to mention in his remarks at the UN Security Council Interactive Briefing on 5th June 2009 that the Government was in the process of initiating a domestic mechanism for fact finding and reconciliation. This statement stemmed from the Government’s commitment to the promotion and protection of human rights, as consistently articulated and affirmed by Sri Lanka at Sessions of the Human Rights Council. The President informed the cabinet that in order to accomplish this task it has become necessary to set in motion a mechanism which will provide a historic bridge between the past of a society characterized by inflicted strife and a future society founded on the continued recognition of democracy and peaceful co-existence and the affording of equal opportunities for all Sri Lankans as guaranteed by the Constitution.
The President informed the cabinet that the Commission on Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation has been influenced in part by the South African experience and the Iraq Inquiry of the UK.
The Commissioners appointed under provisions of Section 2 of the Commissions of Inquiry Act (Chapter 393) are,
Chitta Ranjan de Silva Esquire, PC - Chairman
Dr. Amrith Rohan Perera Esquire, PC
Prof. Mohamed Thahir Mohamed Jiffry Esquire
Prof. Karunaratna Hangawatta Esquire
Chandirapal Chanmugam Esquire
Hewa Mathara Gamage Siripala Palihakkara Esquire
Mrs. Manohari Ramanathan
Maxwell Parakrama Paranagama Esquire
They have been asked to report back to the President within six months from the date of appointment – 15th May, 2010.
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The World Bank said Sri Lanka’s economy expanded by 3.3% in the second half of 2009. The Bank said it is the fastest rate recorded since 2002 showing stability despite a weak global economy.
The World Bank report released yesterday said that despite entering the Global Financial Crisis in a weak macroeconomic situation, the Sri Lankan economy has recovered rapidly.
The World Bank’s economic update for 2010 on Sri Lanka said the economic growth indicators confirmed a strong increase in economic activity for the region with agriculture, transportation, and communication sectors showing strong performance in the last quarter of 2009 and the hotel industry growing approximately 32% due to an influx of tourists after the end of the conflict.
Although inflation moved upward gradually since falling to 0.7% in September 2009 and reaching 6.9% in February 2010 before easing to 6.3% in March, it is expected to stay relatively low in 2010, due partly to increased agricultural production in the North, which will help contain food prices, the monetary body predicted.
In looking ahead the World Bank report says that increases in foreign direct investment and tourism, along with improved employment and large-scale reconstruction projects in the North, are expected to
sustain and accelerate Sri Lanka’s growth throughout 2010. The World Bank concluded that the short-term prospects for the Sri Lankan economy are positive.
Courtesy : www.news.lk |
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Tuesday, 11 May 2010 04:23 |
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My Government has also been mindful of the need to heal the wounds caused to national amity by the conflict situation. It is our intention to shortly appoint a Commission on Post- Conflict Study and Reconciliation, the preliminary work on which is now being concluded.
It is our responsibility to ensure that henceforth, no future generation of Sri Lankans, will have to experience the anguish that we underwent during the last three decades, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the diplomatic community at the Presidential Secretariat today (10 May).
The period of inquiry of the Commission covers from the commencement of the Ceasefire Agreement of February 2002 to its manifest breakdown that then finally led to the termination of the conflict situation in May 2009. The Commission will comprise persons of eminence, representing the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural nature of Sri Lankan society. I am confident that the Commissioners will discharge their responsibilities with a deep commitment to protect the dignity and independence of both this country and the Commission, the President added.
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