Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath has concluded his visit to New York to participate in the High-Level Segment of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), today (30).

Addressing the General Debate of the 81st Session of the UNGA on 28 September 2026, Minister Herath reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to multilateralism and to strengthening a United Nations that delivers for all, the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the United Nations (UN) in New York said in a statement.

Speaking under the theme “Restoring trust, managing transformation: a United Nations that delivers for all”, the Minister underscored the importance of restoring trust through dialogue and cooperation.

The Minister highlighted Sri Lanka’s experience in responding to Cyclone Ditwah, which caused extensive loss of life and damage across the country, and expressed appreciation to the United Nations and friendly countries for their support.

He noted that Sri Lanka’s recovery efforts were taking place alongside the country’s continuing economic recovery and called for greater international support to strengthen resilience, including through fairer debt rules and development financing, the statement said.

Minister Herath emphasized Sri Lanka’s commitment to addressing poverty and inequality, protecting investment in health and education, and ensuring that development reaches all communities and regions. He reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals.  

The Minister also outlined Sri Lanka’s commitment to good governance and combating corruption, as well as efforts to promote national unity, reconciliation and equality, it said.

As an island nation, Minister Herath highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the sustainable use and protection of the oceans, the statement said.

He also underscored Sri Lanka’s engagement with the International Seabed Authority and the implementation of the BBNJ Agreement reaffirming the commitment to safeguard oceans as a common heritage of humankind for present and future generations, the statement said.

The Minister further highlighted Sri Lanka’s efforts to advance digital public infrastructure and strengthen national capacity in artificial intelligence and the wider digital economy.      

He called for international cooperation to bridge the growing digital divide and to ensure that technological progress benefits all. Reaffirming Sri Lanka’s longstanding commitment to nuclear disarmament, the Minister highlighted Sri Lanka’s contribution to multilateral disarmament efforts and its commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons.

He also reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s continued contribution to United Nations peacekeeping and its cooperation in addressing narcotics trafficking and organized crime.

On matters of international peace and security, Minister Herath called for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and respect for international law, the statement said.

He welcomed the ceasefire in Gaza and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s support for the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to statehood and for a two-State solution, with Palestine and Israel living side by side in peace and security based on the 1967 borders.

He also called for restraint and dialogue in addressing conflicts in West Asia.   Addressing the Assembly, the Minister underscored Sri Lanka’s longstanding stance on peace and security and the role of small nations.

He stated that Sri Lanka’s unwavering commitment to international law is the principle that the nation standby, and said that “we wish to bring before the world as a small island nation with a big heart which believes that even in times of conflict and profound division, there remains space for humanity”.     

He further mentioned that this vision Sri Lanka promotes, is also what Sri Lanka wishes to see reflected in the world. He emphasized that “we need a world where our capacity to uphold humanity grows faster than our capacity to destroy it,” the statement said.

The Minister also participated in the High-Level Plenary Meeting to commemorate and promote the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons, on 29 September, reaffirming Sri Lanka’s commitment to the total and verifiable elimination of nuclear weapons and meaningful progress towards global nuclear disarmament.

Addressing the gathering, the Minister emphasized the need to redirect resources currently allocated to nuclear weapons towards advancing sustainable development, strengthening health and education, promoting access to energy, and addressing the challenges posed by climate change, particularly in developing countries, it stated.

The Minister, yesterday (29), met with United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, where he briefed the Secretary-General on Sri Lanka’s progress in economic recovery and reforms, as well as the country’s reconciliation efforts, the statement said.

Minister Herath also expressed his appreciation to the Secretary-General for his dedicated service to the United Nations over the past decade as the Secretary General.

During the discussion, the SecretaryGeneral recalled his visit to Sri Lanka in 1978 as a member of the Portuguese Parliament, as well as his subsequent visit to Sri Lanka in his capacity as United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. He also commended the progress achieved by Sri Lanka on economic recovery and expressed his continued support for the country’s ongoing efforts.  

The Minister also met with United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix and Under-Secretary-General for Operational Support Atul Khare.      

During these two meetings, Minister Herath reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s enduring commitment and constructive support for international peacekeeping efforts and apprised them of progress on the National Human Rights Screening Mechanism, it stated.

In addition to these multilateral engagements, Minister Herath held bilateral meetings with foreign counterparts, including H.H. Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates; H.E. Dr. Seyed Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran; and Hon. Shisir Khanal, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nepal.

The bilateral engagements provided opportunities to exchange views on matters of mutual interest, advance shared priorities and explore avenues for strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation, the statement added.

The Minister’s visit reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s active and constructive engagement with the United Nations and the international community, while advancing Sri Lanka’s priorities on peace, sustainable development, economic resilience, disarmament, global health, ocean governance and an inclusive digital future.