Honourable Chair,
Director General,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ayubowan!
This year holds special significance for Sri Lanka as we commemorate 100 years of our Public Health System, a century of community-centred public health services that has become a cornerstone of our nation’s health achievements and social progress.
Opening Remarks by the Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, at the side-event titled “A Global Pursuit of Suicide Prevention: Turning Evidence into Action” held on the sidelines of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 May 2026.
The side event was organized by Nepal, Sri Lanka, Kenya, South Africa, Henry Ford Health and the University of Edinburgh.
Hon. Minister of Health and Mass Media, Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, addressed the side-event titled “Childhood Cancer in the Global NCD Agenda: A Call to Action for Lifelong Integration and Access to Care” on the sidelines of the Seventy-ninth World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, on 18 May 2026.
He highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment in addressing childhood cancer and various other initiatives of the GoSL.
This event was co-hosted by St.Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Government of Sri Lanka, Gobierno de la Republica Guatemala, NCD Alliance, UNICEF and AfricaCDC.
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva, conducted a Consular Mobile Service in Zurich on 09 and 10 May 2026, with the assistance of the Sri Lankan Associations and the Sri Lankan Community in Zurich. The initiative was organized to facilitate consular services to the Sri Lankans in their respective areas, considering accessibility and the convenience of the community.
The Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in collaboration with the Permanent Mission of Thailand celebrated the International Day of Vesak at the Palais des Nations, Geneva on 30 April 2026, for the fourth consecutive time.
During the 29th International Meeting of Mine Action National Directors and UN Advisers (29NDM) in Geneva, the National Mine Action Centre (NMAC) of Sri Lanka and the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) co-hosted a side event on 'Ensuring Safe and Credible Land Release: Sri Lanka’s Completion Survey Process and Lessons Learnt' on 24 April 2026.
Speaking at the side event, National Director of Mine Action of Sri Lanka, Eng. Kumudu Lal Bogahawatta, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Water Supply and the panelists from NMAC and GICHD shared updates on Sri Lanka's Mine Action Strategy, Completion Survey Dashboard alongside the progress and challenges of Sri Lanka's Mine Action Programme.
President Thabo Mbeki, Chairman of the Board
Distinguished Members of the Board
Representatives of the Council
Excellencies
It is a great honour to participate at the 26th Council of Representatives of the South Centre this evening. I join the other Member States to congratulate the Chairman, Members of the Board, Executive Director and the Secretariat of the South Centre for their tireless commitment to continue the work of the Centre in this challenging multilateral environment.