“Sri Lanka has played a very active and responsible role as a member state of the United Nations. We intend to implement a new programme and plan of action in Sri Lanka to advance human rights.

Sri Lanka succeeded in eliminating terrorism, which continues to throttle other developing countries from Asia to Africa and Latin America. We believe that Sri Lanka’s conflict and post-conflict experience can be shared with the rest of the developing world.

The new consensual government under my leadership has already taken several steps to introduce and operationalize the reforms required. Our social and human development approach is founded on pluralism, reconciliation and sustainable development. Within the first six months, my Government introduced essential amendments to the Constitution in order to strengthen democracy in Sri Lanka. With my personal facilitation, some of the executive presidential powers were transferred to Parliament and other independent institutions.

Our new vision for the country involves achieving the twin objectives of sustainable development and reconciliation. I was able to unite the two major political parties in the country to create an alliance for consensual governance in the country.

In dealing with the past, we will follow a process of truth seeking, justice, reparation and non-recurrence.

Resorting to terrorism as a means to solve grievances as well as action taken to eliminate terrorism can create problems. Development should result in the empowerment of women and youth and assure security for children. Youth is the driving force for sustainable development. We should transform youth to a skilled workforce to succeed in the 21st-century. We should similarly launch a national programme to empower women and thereby enhance their contribution in development.

My understanding of sustainable development is not to have sectorally or group-wise isolated development, but to have an inclusive model of development that is capable of uplifting development standards globally.”

Full speech: http://gadebate.un.org/sites/default/files/gastatements/70/70_LK_en.pdf