Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath departs for Geneva to attend UNHRC session

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, departed for Geneva, Switzerland, this morning (07) at around 6:45 a.m.

Minister Vijitha Herath will be attending the 60th session of the UN Human Rights Council, which is scheduled to commence in Geneva on September 8 and will continue until October 8.

The Foreign Minister is expected to deliver a special statement on behalf of the Sri Lankan government during the session.

During his visit, Minister Herath is also scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with several high-ranking diplomats in Geneva. 

A special meeting is set to take place between UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Türk, and Minister Herath.

This meeting, which follows Volker Türk’s recent visit to Sri Lanka and marks one year since the National People’s Power (NPP) government came to power, will provide an opportunity to present the actions, progress, and future plans undertaken by the new government regarding the protection of human rights, according to the statement by the Foreign Ministry.

In addition to Minister Vijitha Herath, Dayani Mendis, the Director General of the United Nations and Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will also participate in this year’s Human Rights Council session.