Minister of Foreign Affairs Vijitha Herath held discussions with UN Assistant Secretary‑General and UNDP Asia‑Pacific Regional Director, Kanni Wignaraja, the highest‑ranking Sri Lankan official currently serving in the United Nations system.

In a post on social media, Minister Herath said talks focused on UNDP’s support for Sri Lanka across multiple areas of development cooperation with the UN. 

Key themes included the Government’s digitalization drive, expansion of renewable energy, and skills and capacity development of the national workforce.

Discussions also covered climate financing mechanisms such as climate credits, green and blue bonds, and innovative financing solutions. 

In addition, cooperation in the health and tourism sectors was highlighted as priority areas for future collaboration. (Newswire)

The post Foreign Minister meets UN’s highest‑ranking Sri Lankan official appeared first on Newswire.

Kanni Wignaraja, the highest-serving Sri Lankan in the United Nations, has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya. 

Wignaraja, who serves as the UN Assistant Secretary-General and United Nations Development Programme Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, engaged in the meeting during her one-day visit to Sri Lanka. 

According to UNDP Sri Lanka, Wignaraja was accompanied by the Resident Representative of UNDP in Sri Lanka, Azusa Kubota.

In her engagements, Wignaraja reinforced UNDP’s commitment, building on its long-standing partnership, to supporting national priorities towards attaining sustainable development, in the areas of economic and governance reforms, accountability, innovative financing, digital transformation, public sector modernisation and protection of the most vulnerable communities in the country. 

Wignaraja reiterated the UNDP’s policy and technical offers in these areas, with a particular focus on women, youth and rural farmers exposed to multiple shocks of the economy, disasters and climate change.

Kanni Wignaraja is the first Senior UN Official to visit Sri Lanka following the recently concluded Presidential Elections. (Newswire)

The post Highest serving Sri Lankan in UN calls on President & PM appeared first on Newswire.