Addressing the 63rd Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, during the General Debate under the Agenda Item 2, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, Ambassador Sumith Dassanayake, has stressed that no Council mandate should be regarded as indefinite.

The written update on human rights situation in Sri Lanka was presented to the Council on September 08 and the General Debate was attended by the United Nations Human Rights High Commissioner, Volker Türk, according to a statement issued by the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva. 

Addressing the High Commissioner, Volker Türk, Permanent Representative Sumith Dassanayake emphasized that at a time when the international community is confronted with grave and urgent human rights situations, including armed conflicts, displacement, and humanitarian crises, the Council must ensure its work and resources are directed towards the most pressing global challenges. 

Permanent Representative Sumith Dassanayake also emphasized to the High Commissioner that all mandates, particularly country-specific mandates, should be subject to periodic review against clearly defined objectives and measurable outcomes, the statement said. 

He called for sunset clauses and phase-out provisions to be explicitly incorporated into country-specific resolutions where appropriate.

Permanent Representative Sumith Dassanayake stressed that when a country demonstrates progress through national processes, dialogue, cooperation, and technical assistance, the Council should provide a credible pathway towards concluding the relevant mandate, it added. 

During the General Debate, several countries expressed views commending Sri Lanka’s progress toward protecting and promoting human rights of all Sri Lankans, the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva said.