UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has emphasized on the need for wider political consultation for a successful political process in Sri Lanka while noting that all political parties in the island nation must engage for this purpose.

The UN chief made these comments during a meeting with President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City on Saturday, on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly.

Congratulating President Rajapaksa on his leadership, Mr. Ban acknowledged the progress that has been made in Sri Lanka in the years after the war and expressed his optimism that the remaining challenges would also be overcome with this type of political leadership, the President’s Media Unit said in a statement.

President Rajapaksa outlined the developments that have taken place, including the near-completion of all demining activities, the improvement of health services, and the rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-combatants, among others achievements.

He also informed the Secretary-General of the rehabilitation of schools that the Government has undertaken in war-affected areas. President Rajapaksa pointed out that, unlike before, some of the island’s best results from national examinations now originate from the Northern Province.

“Ban Ki-moon also underscored the need for wider political consultation for a successful political process. In this regard, he noted that all political parties must engage,” the statement said.

President Rajapaksa invited Mr. Ban to make another visit to Sri Lanka to assess the development since his last visit.