The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, for the first time in our history we held elections without violence—presidential, parliamentary, and local—peaceful, fair, and free. Never before has this happened. That is where we began. Whatever criticisms are made, we can proudly say that in the past year there have been no ethnic or religious clashes.

¶ 02 The March 12 Movement recently analyzed our performance using data; I urge you to study it.

¶ 03 On foreign relations: opponents said we would be confined to North Korea, Cuba, and China. We have demonstrated close, friendly diplomatic relations with all—USA, China, Russia, Japan, India, Australia, Latin America, Africa—garnering benefits and investments. Even today, 23 US investors arrive for talks.

¶ 04 We have visited India, China, Vietnam, Germany, USA, Japan, and secured significant gains. From Japan alone, we obtained grants nearing Rs. 2 billion: about JPY 463 million for strengthening rural dairy (roughly Rs. 1,000 million), and JPY 500 million for Navy security (about Rs. 1,000 million). From China, we signed MOUs and secured more benefits: school uniforms free for all students in 2025 and similarly in 2026. On the 13th, the Prime Minister will visit China and meet the Chinese President and senior leaders to further strengthen ties, then proceed to India to meet its leadership, bringing more gains. The Belarus Ambassador also met us; we discussed direct flights from Belarus to Sri Lanka—licenses and charters are enabled and discussions continue.

¶ 05 At the UNHRC on the 6th, the resolution was an extension of the 2021 text—time extended again for two years to September 2027 for us to submit a written report on safeguarding human rights. This is not a sellout. We will protect human rights and build national harmony through domestic measures, and we will prove it in practice. Free and fair elections and the absence of communal strife already attest to that. On corruption and related incidents, we are acting decisively.

¶ 06 [Speech continues.]