New York: Ambassador Jayantha Jayasuriya presented his Letters of Credence as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations to Secretary-General António Guterres at a ceremony held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. During the presentation, Ambassador Jayasuriya conveyed the greetings of the President of Sri Lanka and expressed his intention to collaborate closely with the United Nations and its agencies.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka, Secretary-General Guterres acknowledged Sri Lanka’s commitment to multilateralism and welcomed Ambassador Jayasuriya to New York and the United Nations. Guterres also requested that his warm regards be conveyed to the President of Sri Lanka. Following the credential presentation, the Secretary-General and Ambassador Jayasuriya participated in a bilateral meeting, during which Guterres reminisced about his visit to Sri Lanka as a young Parliamentarian with the Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The Secretary-General encouraged Sri
Lanka to maintain an active role within the UN, emphasizing the influence of small and developing countries in highlighting important issues. Ambassador Jayasuriya praised the work of UN agencies in Sri Lanka and highlighted the significance of Sri Lanka’s 70-year membership with the United Nations, coinciding with the UN’s 80th anniversary. He assured his support for continued collaboration.

Ambassador Jayasuriya, P.C., previously served as the 47th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. He began his legal career in 1982 and held various positions within the Attorney General’s Department as a State Counsel. Appointed as a President’s Counsel in 2012 and Attorney General in 2016, Jayasuriya also served as a Trial Attorney at the United Nations’ International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda. He is recognized as a Commonwealth Scholar.