Sri Lankan School Chess Players Shine at the 18th Asian School Chess Championships in Bangkok
Sri Lankan students showcased their exceptional chess skills at the 18th Asian School Chess Championships, held from 1st to 11th December 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. The event, co-organized by the Thailand Chess Association under the auspices of the Asian Chess Federation (ACF) and the International Chess Federation (FIDE), saw participation from 32 countries across Asia.
Sri Lankan Automobile Component Manufacturers Explore Opportunities in Thailand
A 12-member delegation of Sri Lankan automobile component manufacturers successfully concluded a week-long exposure visit to Bangkok from 30th November to 6th December 2024. The visit was jointly organized by the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board and the Thai-Sri Lanka Chamber of Commerce. Its primary objective was to enhance the delegation’s understanding of Thailand’s advanced automotive sector and to foster meaningful business collaborations between the two countries.
Sri Lanka was also elected by acclamation to the Governing Council of the Asian and Pacific Centre for Transfer of Technology (APCTT) for the term 2020-2023, which is the regional body hosted in India, that is focusing on Science, Technology and Innovation; Technology Transfer; Technology Intelligence.
The Sri Lankan delegation led by Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP, Ambassador Mrs. Samantha K. Jayasuriya, played an active role in showcasing Sri Lanka’s policies and best practices in the thematic area of oceans for sustainable development. Sri Lanka also presented GOSL’s efforts in responding to the COVID-19 health crisis and suggested useful recommendations to the UNESCAP to support its member States in addressing socio-economic impacts.
Ms. Saritha Ranatunga, Assistant Permanent Representative reiterating Sri Lanka’s strong support for the theme study by the Secretariat on ocean, elaborated Sri Lanka’s national commitment towards sustainable blue economy, sustainable fisheries, reducing marine plastic pollution, and peaceful navigation in Indian Ocean, and maritime connectivity. While highlighting Sri Lanka’s regional and international engagements she informed the Commission Sri Lanka’s role in coordinating the IORA Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security and initiating multilateral engagements series ‘The Indian Ocean: Defining our Future’. The Commission endorsed a resolution which was also cosponsored by GOSL, calling to conserve and sustainably use oceans and marine resources in the region through regional cooperation.
Making a further submission under the Agenda on regional cooperation to address the socio-economic effects of the global health crisis, Ms. Poornima Gunasekera, the Deputy Permanent Representative, elaborated the efforts taken by the Government of Sri Lanka in tackling and mitigating the risks associated with the corona virus pandemic. Presenting Sri Lanka’s recommendations to ESCAP for stronger regional cooperation to ensure a collective response, Ms Gunasekera stressed on the need for developing a strong platform within UN ESCAP aiming at; sharing experiences and best practices, developing strong regional and global collaboration on enhancing capacity building in public health systems, exchanging technical cooperation and ways to access medical supplies at affordable prices and formulating and implementing macroeconomic policies, and negotiating regional cooperative mechanisms and agreements in trade and investment.
Ambassador Jayasuriya in her capacity as the Chair of the open-ended working group for reviewing the Conference structure of the Commission pursuant to the resolution 73/1, presented the Chair’s summary to the Commission recommending further negotiations on the subject.
Inaugurating the session online, United Nations Secretary-General Mr. António Guterres stated that the Governments and leaders are grappling with a wide range of challenges that risk recent progress in the Asia-Pacific region and around the world and all have an opportunity to build back better on the foundations of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. General Prayuth Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand also addressed the session via a video message.
The 76th Commission session, was attended by over 264 delegates, representing 54 Member States and associate members and 8 additional observer countries.
Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
To UNESCAP-Bangkok
23rd May 2020
Promoting economic, social and environmental cooperation on oceans for sustainable development.
Regional cooperation to address the socio-economic effects of the global health crisis.
