Topic
Foreign Affairs
874 speeches · 189 speakers
Party share
By the speaker's party · counts only, no scoring. "Unattributed" = speeches not resolved to an MP.
Most active on this topic
| # | Member | Speeches |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hon. Ravi Karunanayake, M.P. NDF | 68 |
| 2 | Hon. Vijitha Herath, M.P. JJB | 45 |
| 3 | Hon. Sajith Premadasa, M.P. SJB | 42 |
| 4 | Hon. Arun Hemachandra, M.P. JJB | 33 |
| 5 | Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha, M.P. JJB | 26 |
| 6 | Hon. Mujibur Rahman, M.P. SJB | 21 |
| 7 | Hon. (Prof.) Ruwan Ranasinghe, M.P. JJB | 20 |
| 8 | Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney at Law, M.P. SJB | 19 |
| 9 | Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M.P. SJB | 19 |
| 10 | Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC, M.P. SJB | 19 |
Speeches
874 on this topic- 20 March 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper argued that political stability has been established but Sri Lanka must address economic weaknesses, particularly limited global integration and trade agreements. He proposed investment in education and vocational training, digital infrastructure, simpler business regulations, stronger financial services, modernized transport, and diversification into high-value services to attract investment and support a service-based economy. He also condemned renewed Israeli military operations in Gaza and reported actions in Yemen, Syria, and Lebanon, criticized United States support for Israel, and urged the Sri Lankan Government to take a clear position. Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Read →
- 20 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Wasantha Samarasinghe said ongoing investigations into past misuse of public funds would continue, with the aim of uncovering transactions and punishing those responsible. He outlined reforms at the Department of Import and Export Control, including digital licensing, stronger regulatory checks for food and agricultural safety, and support for a broader digital economy. He said the Government is developing a National Tariff Policy to provide stable, transparent taxation, protect domestic industries and agriculture, prevent dumping, manage trade and foreign exchange pressures, and attract foreign direct investment. He also noted work on anti-dumping and countervailing regulations and criticized the Opposition’s limited attendance during the debate. Appropriation Bill, 2025 - Committee Stage Debate Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB AI summary Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara supported the Adjournment Motion, citing shortages of experienced personnel in essential public services, particularly doctors, prosecutors and foreign service officers. He urged the Government to retain or re-engage retired specialists and legal officers on contract, noting the impact of doctor migration and a large backlog of files at the Attorney-General’s Department. He also criticized political appointments in the Foreign Service and called for experienced diplomats to be posted to key economic missions, while asking the Minister of Public Administration to reconsider Circular No. 19/2022 and re-implement Circular No. 02/2022. Adjournment Debate: Public Administration Circular No. 19/2022 Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper argued that Public Administration Circular No. 19/2022, which reduced the retirement age of public officers to 60, has created shortages in critical senior executive services, including the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, the Attorney-General’s Department, specialist medical services, and technical sectors such as Railways. He contrasted this with the earlier Circular No. 02/2022 and Gazette Extraordinary No. 2263/5, which had extended retirement to 65 due to recruitment constraints, and said the reversal was counterproductive. He proposed re-employing prematurely retired experienced officers, particularly in the Foreign Service, with their prior seniority and suspension of pension payments during contract service, rather than making external diplomatic appointments. Adjournment Debate: Public Administration Circular No. 19/2022 Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Aravinda Senarath JJB AI summary Aravinda Senarath briefly asserted that the claims being discussed were false and stated that both societies in question had been defeated. The remark appears to be a short interjection rather than a substantive policy argument or proposal. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Faiszer Musthapha, PC NDF AI summary Faiszer Musthapha argued that attracting FDI and developing industry require incentives such as industrial zones, particularly in the context of Sri Lanka’s FTA with India and high energy and labour costs. He said investor confidence depends on faster and more effective commercial dispute resolution, calling for amendments to the Arbitration Act to allow interim relief and to exclude low-value lease or hire-purchase disputes from mandatory arbitration. He also urged coordination with the Minister of Justice to fill more than 15 vacant High Court posts, warning that judicial delays and understaffing undermine investment promotion. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe JJB AI summary Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe stated that reports of conditions being imposed were incorrect. He said discussions had been held with the Indian High Commission, including the High Commissioner and trade attaché, and clarified that no conditions had been set by their side. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development JJB AI summary The Minister stated that the Government would consider the proposal but preferred to build domestic institutional capacity through coordination among the Department of Commerce, the Ministry, the Treasury, and the Foreign Ministry rather than hiring paid foreign consultants. He noted that discussions with the United States, Sri Lanka’s largest single export market, had already been initiated for September, and said Parliament would be kept informed while welcoming cross-party support. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary The Leader of the Opposition urged the Government to pursue country-specific trade arrangements despite the general lapse of GSP benefits, citing the Multi-Fibre Arrangement concessions linked to the “200 Garment Factories Programme” as precedent. He proposed establishing a specialised Sri Lanka Trade Representative and team to conduct government-to-government negotiations, and offered his side’s expertise on a pro bono basis. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 19 March 2025 The Hon. Wasantha Samarasinghe - Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Co-operative Development JJB AI summary The Minister clarified that the lapse of the US GSP on 31 December 2020 affected all beneficiary countries and has not been renewed by the US Congress. He said Sri Lanka plans joint discussions with the United States in September, including on apparel sector issues, and welcomed constructive Opposition support. He added that the Government is reviewing existing trade agreements and exploring new arrangements, including with Vietnam and Iran, with the aim of using trade policy to reduce prices and ensure supply. Committee of Supply: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 116 and Related Heads (Trade, Commerce, Food Security) Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. Arun Hemachandra - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment JJB AI summary Deputy Minister Arun Hemachandra said foreign employment is a major source of foreign exchange and emphasized the need to curb irregular migration while noting a decline in the share of workers leaving as domestic workers. He urged all migrant workers, including those travelling on visit visas for work, to register with the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, stating that registration is necessary for effective state intervention in disputes or emergencies. He said the Government is reforming the Bureau, addressing past political interference, and developing mechanisms down to Divisional Secretariat and Grama Niladhari levels to provide guidance, training, and family support for migrant workers. He stated that the Government’s objective is to regulate the sector, ensure migrant safety, and address the economic pressures that compel people to seek work abroad. Adjournment Motion: Protection and Support for Migrant Workers Abroad Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper, PC SJB AI summary Hon. M. Nizam Kariapper supported the motion on regulating Sri Lankan domestic workers abroad, but argued that the central issue is why women, especially mothers from economically vulnerable Tamil-speaking communities in the Eastern Province, are compelled to migrate for such work. He objected to the term “housemaid,” urged recognition of domestic work as skilled labour requiring training, dignity and protections, and recalled the case of Rizana Nafeek as an example of the risks faced overseas. He said laws alone are insufficient because people circumvent them, and called for broader attention to economic conditions, family impacts and proper institutional support for migrant domestic workers. Adjournment Motion: Protection and Support for Migrant Workers Abroad Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned how the Government intends to achieve its stated target of USD 28 billion in industrial exports by 2030 and argued that an export-led strategy requires a clear shift from earlier positions opposing export- and FDI-led growth under the Economic Transformation Bill. He urged the Government to expand and protect market access through agreements such as RCEP and other FTAs, noting risks to Sri Lanka’s US trade surplus and the need to maintain arrangements such as GSP+. He said high para-tariffs and resistance to services liberalization, including Mode 4 professional mobility, are inconsistent with joining major trade frameworks and building exports. He also referred to domestic innovation in electric three-wheelers and implied the need for supportive policies for such industries. Appropriation Bill 2025, Twenty-third Allotted Day - Committee Stage: Heads 149, 303, 194 and 219 (Industry and Entrepreneurship Development; Youth Affairs and Sports) Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha said discussions on broader tariffs are ongoing, but the immediate issue is the United States’ reciprocal tariff policy under its fair trade framework, which he described as a general US policy recalibration rather than a measure aimed specifically at Sri Lanka. He stated that Sri Lanka is preparing to respond through diplomatic channels, while noting US support in the country’s IMF-linked debt restructuring process. He added that the Government would avoid speculation until official details are released and would act strategically through continued diplomatic engagement. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake sought clarification on potential US tariff increases affecting Sri Lankan apparel exports, noting reported moves to reshore women’s apparel production and an 18.1 percent rise in Sri Lanka’s April apparel exports to the US. He warned that selective tariff increases on trade-surplus countries could harm Sri Lanka as it recovers from bankruptcy, and urged the Government to negotiate a 10- to 15-year special tariff arrangement with the Trump Administration, citing the sector’s 1.2 million direct jobs. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Anil Jayantha - Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB AI summary The Minister outlined the Government’s assessment of possible US reciprocal tariffs expected to be announced in April 2025 under a “fair trade” framework. He said Sri Lanka is examining potential impacts on key export sectors, especially apparel and textiles, rubber products, coconut-based products and plastics, which together account for about 86 per cent of export earnings to the US. He noted ongoing coordination among the Finance and Trade Ministries, the Export Development Board and diplomatic channels, including engagement with the USTR through the Sri Lankan Embassy in Washington and stakeholder discussions in Colombo, to prepare policy responses. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications Read →
- 18 March 2025 The Hon. Ravi Karunanayake NDF AI summary Ravi Karunanayake raised a Standing Order 27(2) question to the Minister of Finance on the potential impact of renewed US protectionist trade policies and tariff increases on Sri Lanka’s textile, apparel and general exports, noting the sector’s importance and its 1.2 million direct employees. He asked whether the Government had assessed these risks, engaged with US authorities or sought special accommodation, and taken steps to preserve market access through GSP or alternative arrangements. He also sought details on export market diversification, FDI and trade agreements, consultations with industry on competitiveness, support for affected workers and firms, and how Sri Lanka could use its location to attract US investment. Oral Question under Standing Order 27(2): Export of Sri Lanka's Textiles and Apparels and Ministerial Clarifications Read →
- 17 March 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa called for a specialized national ecotourism plan modelled on India’s Project Tiger, arguing that Sri Lanka could conserve elephants, leopards, whales and dolphins while generating foreign exchange and community benefits. He urged systematic human-wildlife conflict mitigation, stronger institutional capacity, insurance mechanisms, continuity across administrations, and greater priority for animal welfare. He also proposed establishing an international environmental university through public-private partnerships, regularizing long-serving volunteers and stabilizing multipurpose officers in wildlife work, and using scientific censuses and private monitoring initiatives to support conservation, ecotourism and national development. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate on Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Ministry of Environment Read →
- 17 March 2025 The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB AI summary Sajith Premadasa called for a comprehensive, nonpartisan environmental policy framework, including a National Ecosystem Assessment, biodiversity valuation, clear conservation targets, a National Land Use Plan and a National Physical Plan. He proposed community-based conservation, circular economy measures, stronger action on pollution, plastics and deforestation, and evidence-based mitigation of human-wildlife conflict using technology, insurance and stable long-term planning. He urged Sri Lanka to use international climate and biodiversity conventions, green finance and eco-tourism opportunities, citing India’s Project Tiger, and proposed an international environmental university through a public-private partnership. He also asked for employment stability for wildlife volunteers and multipurpose development officers, and for systematic wildlife censuses that integrate credible private conservation data into national policy. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate on Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Ministry of Environment Read →
- 15 March 2025 The Hon. Vijitha Herath - Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism JJB AI summary The Minister stated that the government remains committed to reconciliation, including a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and strengthened domestic mechanisms, noting that the JVP had proposed such measures shortly after the war ended in 2009. He said accountability institutions such as the OMP and ONUR, now under the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, would be strengthened with Budget allocations, alongside initiatives such as restoring the Jaffna Public Library and promoting cultural harmony. He argued that judicial independence, rule of law and domestic accountability reduce the need for external intervention and have improved international and diaspora confidence. He also outlined foreign employment measures, including proposed social security MoUs with Cyprus and India and discussions with the Maldives to improve formal remittance channels. Papers: Annual Reports - Sri Lanka Institute of Tourism and Hotel Management Read →