Sri Lanka, 2014

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.