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- 8 January 2025 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva tabled the Committee on Public Finance report on instruments under the Foreign Exchange Act, Payment and Settlement Systems Act, Casino Business (Regulation) Act, and Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act. He noted approval of the continued USD 500,000 annual outward investment limit, registration requirements for hawala and hundiyal operators, and Port City engineering regulations, while calling for an urgent timetable to establish a Casino Regulator. He also highlighted unresolved Government concurrence on implementing Sri Lanka–Singapore FTA commitments to phase out the Port and Airport Levy on certain tariff lines, and said the Government must report its position expeditiously to the Committee. Papers Presented Read →
- 7 January 2025 The Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran raised concerns about illegal Indian trawling in northern waters, particularly during the prawn season, and said it was damaging the livelihoods of fishermen in Mullaitivu and Jaffna. He questioned the effectiveness of naval protection of maritime boundaries, cited fishermen’s concerns about enforcement, and urged fisheries authorities to protect northern fishermen without discrimination, including by empowering local fishermen if necessary. He also paid tribute to the late journalist and writer Na. Yogendranathan and congratulated Mullaitivu student athlete Jeyakanth Vidhusan for his performance at the South Asian Junior Athletics meet. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Read →
- 7 January 2025 The Hon. Faiszer Musthapha, PC NDF AI summary Faiszer Musthapha welcomed the change in government and said the President had a historic opportunity to build an inclusive national vision, while urging the Government to accept constructive criticism and pursue economic stability pragmatically, including through engagement with the IMF. He called for privatizing SriLankan Airlines, reforming investment promotion beyond BOI, Port City and Strategic Development Projects mechanisms, and creating incentives to direct FDI to lagging regions. He also urged reconsideration of taxes on cement and building materials, raised the need for confidence-building with northern and Muslim communities, sought remorse over the COVID-19 mandatory cremation policy, and referred to Sri Lanka’s refugee policy in relation to Rohingya asylum seekers. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. (Prof.) Anil Jayantha JJB AI summary Prof. Anil Jayantha stated that discussions with political and business leaders emphasized the need for cooperation, transparency, international partnerships, and higher production to align with global economic trends. He said the National People’s Power government would use its first term to recover the country from past economic and social damage and pursue its programme of “A Prosperous Country, a Beautiful Life.” Procedural: Adjournment Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Jeevan Thondaman UNP AI summary Hon. Jeevan Thondaman welcomed the President’s visit to India and said the 2024 India-Sri Lanka statement could complement the 2023 Vision Statement, particularly on energy, infrastructure, and connectivity. He argued that delays and inequities in estate housing and welfare delivery stem largely from plantation company control over beneficiary selection, especially disadvantaging non-worker and informal-sector estate families. He urged the Government to ensure Aswesuma education grants include all deserving estate children, reintroduce free breakfast support for remaining child development centres, and use its mandate to fulfil promises on essential goods while working cooperatively to address the economic crisis. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara SJB AI summary R.M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara argued that the proposed Rs. 6,000 school supplies grant for only 1 million of 4.1 million children would create visible inequality in classrooms and called for assistance to be provided universally, including to children of public and private sector workers. He criticized the Government for not fulfilling earlier pledges on education funding and VAT removal on educational supplies, and questioned the use of Aswasuma as the basis for selecting beneficiaries. He also asked the President to clarify positions taken during his visit to India, including on ETCA, Adani-related projects, the oil pipeline, land bridge, Kaveri Basin leases, and other India-linked initiatives, in light of past opposition to them. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB AI summary Ajith P. Perera argued that the proposed Rs. 6,000 school supplies allowance should not be limited to children in Aswesuma beneficiary families because the Aswesuma selection process is flawed and discretionary, and proposed instead that it be granted universally to all schoolchildren. He also questioned the lack of detailed disclosure on the President’s visit to India, particularly regarding physical, digital, and energy connectivity proposals, and sought clarification on the proposed multi-product energy pipeline, its financing, conditions, and the role of the UAE. He further stated that the Government appeared to be continuing the previous administration’s policy direction and, in response to a personal matter raised by the Minister of Justice, clarified his professional status as Counsel under Act No. 26 of 2023 while tabling related campaign material. Debate: Supplementary Estimate – Head 102, Programme 01 (School Supplies Grant) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Nalin Bandara Jayamaha welcomed the Government’s apparent shift toward alignment with India, saying such economic, political and cultural cooperation was acceptable and beneficial. He criticised earlier campaign claims that grid interconnection, pipelines, and other arrangements with India would threaten Sri Lanka’s sovereignty or resources, and called on the Government to retract those statements rather than “spin” them. Oral Questions (Questions 1–10) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Vijitha Herath – Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism AI summary Minister Vijitha Herath said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has a public mandate and that the Government’s policy is to generate electricity domestically and export any surplus through BIMSTEC regional cooperation. He stated that no agreements have been signed with India beyond ongoing discussions on power projects referenced in the Joint Statement, and denied that the Government had entered into any agreement compromising national interests. Oral Questions (Questions 1–10) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Nalin Bandara Jayamaha questioned whether President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had a mandate to continue policies previously pursued by Ranil Wickremesinghe, specifically regarding links with India in areas such as power grids, aviation, and related infrastructure. He contrasted this with the President’s earlier criticism of Wickremesinghe’s mandate for such initiatives. Oral Questions (Questions 1–10) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harshana Suriyapperuma rejected claims of merely endorsing prior arrangements, stating that earlier credit arrangements have developed into productive bilateral cooperation. He said the Government is strengthening international ties while correcting past agreements that compromised sovereignty, and argued that investor confidence reflects recognition of the President’s mandate-driven approach. Oral Questions (Questions 1–10) Read →
- 18 December 2024 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha emphasized the importance of bilateral agreements for foreign direct investment and welcomed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s engagement with Indian business leaders. He questioned whether the Government would retract its earlier opposition to closer economic integration with India, including ETCA, energy interconnections, pipeline links, use of the Indian Rupee, and wider land, sea, and air connectivity, given the President’s recent endorsement of policies previously advanced by Ranil Wickremesinghe. Oral Questions (Questions 1–10) Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. Nimal Palihena JJB AI summary Hon. Nimal Palihena argued that Sri Lanka’s debt crisis and repeated reliance on IMF programmes resulted from past economic policies, trade deficits, external borrowing, and governance failures, culminating in the April 2022 default that left the IMF as the main available option. He said the Government has proceeded within existing agreements while restoring confidence, citing Japan’s reactivation of 11 suspended projects and India’s USD 20 million aid write-off after the September 2024 Presidential election. He stated that the Government would continue its mandate to strengthen the productive economy, attract investment, manage future debt obligations, and, if necessary, issue sovereign bonds on more favourable terms. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. Harshana Suriyapperuma AI summary Hon. Harshana Suriyapperuma clarified the Government’s position on the MoU signed on 19 September, stating that it set out the agreed pathway with international stakeholders and creditors. He said the new Government had to decide whether to depart from agreements already entered into by the previous Government or proceed with them under comparable treatment, and chose to continue in order to support stability, growth, and relief from public hardship. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. Harshana Suriyapperuma AI summary Harshana Suriyapperuma stated that the Government inherited already signed agreements, MoUs, and final arrangements from the previous administration and therefore had limited scope to restart the process. He argued that the Government is proceeding cautiously to manage these commitments without harming the public, including by adhering to principles such as comparable treatment. He accused some Opposition Members of misleading Parliament and the country by implying the current Government freely chose or originated those agreements. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law JJB AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra defended proceeding with the international debt restructuring agreements, arguing that the Government inherited a default situation from previous economic policies and had limited practical alternatives. She said renegotiating the already reached agreements could delay the exit from bankruptcy, increase interest costs by about USD 1.7 billion or more, send negative market signals, and further harm access to financing. She criticized opposition positions as inconsistent and stated that the Government’s priority is to end bankruptcy and use any debt relief to support economic growth and relief for affected people. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva SJB AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva questioned the Government’s consistency on policy positions, citing reported agreements on petroleum pipeline and HVDC grid connectivity with India after earlier NPP opposition, and its acceptance of the IMF programme after previously criticizing it. He urged the Government to be transparent with the public about its intentions, including on industrial policy and SOE reforms, and argued that industrial development requires openness to the world. He also tabled his party’s proposal, annexes, and a Government disclosure made to international markets that he said had not been tabled in Parliament. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. S.M. Marikkar SJB AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar questioned the Government’s position on India-related agreements and projects, including ETCA, the IL/UCC agreement, the proposed oil pipeline, the Adani project, Trincomalee oil tanks, and the Sampur 500 MW plant, and called for a detailed report to Parliament on investments, security implications, and trade effects following the President’s visit to India. He also asked whether the Government had negotiated with the IMF for reductions in VAT, PAYE tax, electricity tariffs, and water tariffs, noting concerns over the reported ISB haircut and revenue collections. He urged the Government to state whether promised tax and tariff relief, especially for young professionals, would be implemented or used instead to support debt-restructuring targets. Debate: Supplementary Sum for School Stationery Allowance (Head 102, Programme 01) Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. S.M. Marikkar SJB AI summary Hon. S.M. Marikkar welcomed the Government’s stationery allowance for students but urged that benefits be provided without distinctions among children, as with earlier universal textbook, uniform and meal programmes. He demanded disclosure to Parliament of the number and locations of Muslim COVID-19 victims forcibly cremated, while accepting that names may be withheld on ethical grounds. He called for detailed parliamentary reporting on the President’s India visit, including positions on ETCA/UCC, oil pipelines, the Adani project, Trincomalee oil tanks, Sampur power plant, investment values, national security and trade implications. He also questioned whether the Government had discussed VAT, PAYE, electricity and water tariff relief with the IMF in light of ISB restructuring and higher tax revenue, and asked for the Government’s position on PUCSL recommendations to reduce electricity tariffs. Debate: Supplementary Sum for School Stationery Allowance (Head 102, Programme 01) Read →
- 17 December 2024 The Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha SJB AI summary Hon. Nalin Bandara Jayamaha questioned whether the Rs. 6.5 billion Supplementary Estimate for school supplies is sufficient, arguing that uniforms and supplies should be provided to all needy applicants to avoid social divisions among children, and linked this to the Government’s unfulfilled pledge to remove VAT on educational items. He also criticised past government-side statements concerning India in the context of the President’s visit, saying such remarks should be withdrawn if they affected bilateral relations. He further raised concerns over alleged false or questionable educational credentials among government-affiliated figures, stating that public trust is being undermined and asking that the Opposition not be blamed for issues first raised by activists and the public. Debate: Supplementary Sum for School Stationery Allowance (Head 102, Programme 01) Read →