Sri Lanka recognizes refugee returns as vulnerable individuals who require government assistance for re-integration, and as such the Government provides assistance to returning refugees, Ravinatha Aryasinha, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva says.

At the 67th Session of the Executive Committee of the UNHCR he further said, “A National Steering Committee on Refugee Returnees has also been established enabling those involved in the refugee returnee process to discuss challenges, find solutions and have regular follow- up. Due to the conflict that prevailed, Sri Lanka is still grappling with issues related to the Internally Displaced. However, the Government is firm in its commitment to take all efforts to ensure the resettlement of the families who are still in welfare camps. It is an important component of the reconciliation and peacebuilding efforts of the Government. 

Sri Lanka is of the view that while meeting the immediate humanitarian needs of those who have been forced to migrate, it is essential to address the root causes as well. It is also our collective responsibility to prevent human trafficking and related illegal activities that arise as a result of forced migration. 

A single country or region is not in a position to overcome such crises successfully without the mutual assistance and cooperation of others. Solutions to address root causes need the continuous support and collaboration of the international community. 

The common political will of the international community is a must in achieving durable solutions. In this context, the historic Summit of the UN General Assembly on ‘addressing large scale movements of refugees and migrants’ marked an important milestone to further the engagement by Member States including by developing a “Global Compact for Safe, Regular and Orderly Migration” and a “Global Compact on Refugees” by year 2018. 

Sri Lanka fully supports 2 these multilateral efforts to reach productive conclusions within the relevant international legal frameworks and encourages the UNHCR to look for the practical experiences of countries of origin, transit and destination and the inherent challenges, when developing the proposed “Comprehensive Refugee response Framework” as stipulated in the New York Declaration.”