President invites IOM to SL for global consultation on migrant health

President Maithripala Sirisena has invited the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to host a global consultation in Sri Lanka, on the lessons learnt in advancing the health of migrants. 

The President extended this invitation in a special message to a panel discussion on ‘Migration, Human Mobility and Global Health’, held during the 106th Council Session of the IOM held in Geneva on 26 November, which was read by Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva. 

The panel discussion was moderated by IOM Director General Ambassador William Lacy Swing, while Dr. Margaret Chan, the Director General of the World Health Organization, was among the panellists.

In his message, President Sirisena noted that Sri Lanka was recognised as the only country to have a dedicated, multi-sectoral and all-inclusive National Migration Health Policy and National Action Framework, with the objective of addressing the multi-faceted health challenges that emerge during all stages of migration across various migrant groups. 

He recalled that as the Minister of Health, he had the opportunity to meet Ambassador Swing in September 2011 in Geneva and that the meeting indeed strengthened the partnership between IOM and Sri Lanka.

The President said the IOM was a strong strategic partner globally and nationally in addressing problems related to migration, and that the people of Sri Lanka and he greatly valued the various ways in which the IOM Mission in Sri Lanka has assisted the country in managing migration related issues around disasters and conflicts, as well as the present post-conflict rapid development. 

Earlier opening the panel discussion, Director General Ambassador Swing had referred to the meeting he had with President Sirisena in 2011 and the fruitful discussion they had during the meeting, particularly aimed at advancing the health of migrants. He also thanked President Sirisena for strongly supporting the IOM’s initiatives related to health in Sri Lanka during his tenure as the Minister of Health.

President to attend UN conference on climate change

President Maithripala Sirisena, who participated in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting held in Malta, left for France yesterday to attend the United Nations Conference on Climate Change – 2015.

The conference will be held in Le Bourget, France form 30 November to 11 December. This is the 21st Conference of the Parties, i.e. the annual meeting of all countries which want to take action for the climate.The expected outcome of this year’s conference is to come to an international agreement on climate change, applicable to all, to keep global warming below 2°C.