The Norwegian Prime Minister, Honorable Erna Solberg who was in the country delivered the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture 2016 on Friday at the Kadirgamar Institute on, ‘Sustainable Development Goals: Working together for the common good’. Prime Minister Solberg was appointed by The Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-Moon, to co-chair the UN Sustainable Development Goals committee.

The Prime Minister sat down for an exclusive interview with the Srilankan Sunday Observer to share her thoughts on the current reconciliation process and the development Sri Lanka is heading towards. The excerpts are as follows;

Q: Is Norway playing any role in the peace process ‘post-war’ to settle the ethnic problem? If so in what way?

A: No, we are not playing any role in that settlement. It’s something that has to be worked on by Sri Lanka’s government and the opposition and the different ethnic groups of sorts.

I think there is a moment now for Sri Lanka to rebuild the future, but you have to build it through your parliament, through your processes, through the agenda that has been settled in Sri Lankan Politics. We can help in other ways for instance, economic development, expertise, fisheries and we have discussed about renewable energy and all of those things. But the reconciliation process, the constitutional process should be within the country.

Q: Are you aware that many Sri Lankans see Norway as being influenced by migrant Sri Lankan vote banks in Norway and that your country is biased towards one of the ethnic communities in the Sri Lanka ethnic conflict?

A: No, I don’t think we are. I think we are very concerned about the fact that you should find a way to live together in Sri Lanka. Yes, we have both Sinhalese and Tamils in Norway. Norway worked on Development aid and Fisheries before the unrest started and there were lots of people who were offered scholarships and were students in Norway at the time.

So that’s the reason why there are many from the Jaffna area. It is because that’s where we had our projects. I don’t think our policies are biased towards any ethnic group. I think we are very concerned that you should use this opening, this window of opportunity that the country has now for making sure that you can find a balanced future between the religions and ethnic groups. And it’s extremely important for the economic development of Sri Lanka, that international investors feel secure for their investments to get all that co-operation.

Q: Will Norway support the reconciliation measures currently being taken by Sri Lanka, at the UN?

A: We have been actively following it because we have a keen interest in what’s happening in Sri Lanka. As I said it’s important that it’s mainly by Sri Lanka and is a positive move.

We have supported initiatives earlier on in the Human Rights Council and we feel that the government now is trying to find good ways for Sri Lanka to move forward. Hopefully, it will continue in that path. Norway is concerned about Human Rights in all countries of the world.

We believe very strongly, and I have been speaking about ‘Sustainable Development Goals’ today, and we believe very strongly that the ‘SDG -16’ is about Rule of Law, about institutions about peace and reconciliation. It’s a need if we are really going to achieve these SDGs.

Q: In the past, Norway was continuously involved in the peace process but failed on several occasions. What reasons do you attribute to this?

A: No country can mediate peace conflicts if the partners don’t want it. Norway didn’t fail. I don’t believe in that. I believe that at that time it wasn’t possible to achieve. And no one outside the country can create peace or create that type of development.

It had to be done by the partners themselves. We were trying to help where we can, but we strongly believe it has to be done by the partners in a conflict. It’s sometimes easier when someone else helps on the way too.

We have some international seminars in Norway and we invite people to come and speak about peace process in their different conflicts around the world and they could talk about their successes and ‘not so successful’ experiences.

I think it’s about finding that moment when people are tired of conflict and willing to compromise to make a new future for the country. And I hope Sri Lanka is there now.

Q: After the conclusion of the war the west has been pressing for accountability. Do you still insist on that?

A: I think we cannot compromise on the fact that after a war there are allegations on civil casualties, that you should investigate into those activities and see if there have been activities outside of the rule of international law. I think you always have to scrutinize. The understanding of most post war countries is that if you don’t look into those, if you don’t find answers it would be very difficult to get into reconciliation and a new start. It’s more important for Sri Lankans themselves to do this. I am very happy that the government passed the Bill yesterday on the Office of Missing Persons, because that’s among the issues raised earlier in the international community, for people to know ‘what happened to my family?’ in the last period of conflict.

Q: Are you satisfied with the direction in which the Sri Lankan government is moving as regards the proposed judicial mechanism to probe military excesses during the war?

A I think the most important part is that both parties in the conflict feel that the mechanism is fair. It’s not that it has to be international or it has to be local, it has to be felt that it’s transparent and fair, and that they have scrutinized it. So, procedural rules, system of allegations and how you look into things is the most important part. And, if you can make agreements on how you do that locally, I think that’s acceptable. If not, sometimes you need an international body or international observers to participate in that type of procedure, but you don’t have to do it. It’s about getting all sides agree to that and have a transparent process.

Q: Does the UN Human Rights Council resolution explicitly insist on foreign judges participating?

A: No, they are not explicitly insisting on it. But, they would like to have. They have insisted on it earlier on, and they have also asked the Sri Lankan government to put up this type of system, and the Sri Lankan government has said they will put up that type of a commission. If this is going to be a real reconciliation the people have to feel that they have been heard, and that their case has been looked into.

Q: The government has now passed the Act and established the Office of Missing Persons, and there is a lot of criticism from sections of the Parliamentary Opposition. Do you see the Missing Persons probe as a measure against the Sri Lankan armed forces as claimed by the opposition?

A I think this is a Sri Lankan issue that I shouldn’t go into. I think in all conflicts you have to look into both, what the government does and the opposition or the military activists on the other side have done. But it’s how this body is put up and what it is aimed at. I’ve understood that it’s still undergoing discussion. I think it’s up to the Sri Lankan government. If you manage to make a compromise between the different parts of the society, I think it will be good.

Q: How can, in your view, a judicial mechanism to probe past deeds help Sri Lanka in the long run?

A If you look at what happened in South Africa after the apartheid you can see that finding the truth was more important than punishing people. You see that in a lot of post conflict areas, that finding the truth, knowing what had happened to your loved ones is more important. You see it in Latin American countries after the different dictatorships during the 70s and the beginning of the 80s. When you still don’t know what happened to your child it’s difficult to mourn. Did they die? How did they die? And it helps to mend things to see that they are not just forgotten but is looked into. And in all conflict areas there are things that are done not in line with international law because of the way the conflicts are, but getting to know what happened is important.

This morning I met a Norwegian family that was here, an elderly man with his children and grandchildren. His father died here in 1943. They have been looking for his grave and have found in 1994. They have come back now again. And it’s not just to be told that someone’s father died during the Second World War on a ship in Sri Lanka and there’s a grave somewhere. But, knowing that the grave is there, knowing that it’s been taken care of is important. It happened over 70 years, but it gives a picture of how important it is for people to know.

Q: The country is currently facing severe financial crisis and is in dire need of investments and economic support. How can Norway help SL in its process of reconciliation with this in mind?

A I think one is, to make sure that you have a transparent policy on investments and economical aspects. It’s difficult to get investments if you don’t feel that a transparent economic system is available. The second is, the peace process is a very big part of this. Because, if you don’t feel that the country is moving forward on security issues and that you are solving the difficult history you have had, people will be reluctant to do long term investments in Sri Lanka. So, I think the whole process that you now have of getting a new start and investments go hand in hand. There are lots of good things in Sri Lanka, highly educated people, and of course it’s a beautiful place for tourists. I have had the pleasure of experiencing it as I have been here for a week as a tourist, we have a lot of natural resources, there are lot of things to build on. But transparency in the policy making and the rules and regulations for long term investments is important. So I think this process of introducing a new constitution is a new beginning for Sri Lanka in a way. It’s part of getting the economic investments flow into the country too.

Q: What was the result of the bilateral talks held this morning with the President and the Prime Minister?

A We discussed fisheries, where we are working on assisting technicalities to increase the output and the efficiency in the fisheries industry. Norway is of course a large fishing nation. We have discussed renewable energy, the political situation and the whole reform process that’s in Sri Lanka. I think that the parties are trying to move ahead.

Q: Does Norway have any investment plans in Sri Lanka?

A Investments from Norway are done by the companies themselves. We know that there are Norwegian Companies that say they could be interested in solar energy in Sri Lanka and they are already looking at that. We have our sovereign fund invested in 12 different companies in Sri Lanka.

That is an approval, because they would not go into countries that they feel is difficult to withdraw if the need arises as they are very conservative investors. I think it’s a good stamp for Sri Lankan policy making that they are investing in companies in Sri Lanka. We also have some large shipping companies that are looking into the possibilities with the new harbour system. I think it’s an interesting place to invest in.

(sunday observer)

The Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solburg who had visited Sri Lanka on a private visit had met the Minister of Mass Communication Gayantha Karunatilleke.This occasion was for the arranged lunch that was offered to the Prime Minister of Norway.

This lunch had been arranged by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Mangala Samaraweera at a hotel in the south.At this occasion Ministers Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Mahinda Amaraweera and a number of parliamentarians had participated.

Parliamentarian Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle presenting a photo album to Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg with pictures of key moments of her visit to Sri Lanka before the latter’s departure at the Bandaranaike International Airport, Katunayake yesterday. Director Information at the Government Information Department Hilmy Mohammed looks on. Picture by Sulochana Gamage

Co- Chair of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Advocacy Group and Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg said that development priorities of Sri Lanka are in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The key goals in this respect are climate action, conservation of the oceans, peace and justice, gender equality and affordable and clean energy,” she said.

The Norwegian Prime Minister Solberg said so while delivering the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture on Friday (12).

“Financing sustainable development calls for domestic revenue generation, combined with good management of existing resources and improved tax structures that eliminate tax havens,” she noted, adding that, “This is not only a question of global leadership, but it is also a question of national and local leadership. At the same time, it is a question of international solidarity.”

She said the business sector too is taking ownership of the SDGs, as a growing number of companies align their business strategies with the goals.

“I have learnt for instance that the Sri Lankan textile industry has initiated energy efficiency efforts,” she pointed out.

“Today and every day, until goals are achieved, we must take concrete steps to make the world more sustainable.”

“This requires leadership in all countries and at all levels of society,” she said.

“There are already several examples of leadership within the private sector. Now political leaders should cultivate political wills. They must also translate political wills into legislation, policies and concrete plans. Then we must finance and implement the plans,” she said.

“International development aid would be needed in the most vulnerable areas of the world to ensure that no one is left behind.”

She said forced migration and harmful climate changes must be averted anywhere in the world and pandemics must be fought and put out if we are to achieve lasting peace. SDG efforts must be made throughout the world with equal intensity, she spotlighted.

Norwegian funded research vessel is to visit Sri Lankan waters next year to carry out a marine stock assessment, Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said.

This would be the first time an in-depth research on fish stocks and a marine survey covering the entire sea of the country conducted in Sri Lanka, and Norway has consented to extend their support to Sri Lanka in this endeavour.

“Sri Lanka and Norway could work together through our fisheries cooperation on sustainable use of marine resources,” Solberg said.

“We hope that the Norwegian funded research vessel Fridtjof Nansen will visit Sri Lankan waters next year to do a stock assessment.”

The study will be carried out for a period of two years and the data will be used in assessment of fish stocks, especially in submission of recommendation of strategies for fish resources development.

She was delivering the Lakshman Kadirgamar memorial lecture on the theme ‘Sustainable Development Goals: Working together for our Common Good’.

(N.Sethu)

Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture 2016 : Speech by Hon. Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Executive Director, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
Thank you, Dr Panditaratne for giving me this opportunity to speak about sustainable peace and development at this prestigious institute. The topic is very close to my heart as a co-chair of the UN Secretary-General’s Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group and as Prime Minister of Norway.

After having spent a few days on holiday in your beautiful country, I have already become very fond of Sri Lanka – its wonderful people, it’s fascinating culture and its magnificent scenery.

Lakshman Kadirgamar, who gave his name to this institute, lost his life in search of a path to peace. This tragedy tells us how costly and difficult achieving peace can be.

Foreign Minister Kadirgamar recognised that significant change was needed to enable Sri Lanka’s communities to live together peacefully. His vision for Sri Lanka was a national identity based on pluralism. He has said that – and I quote: ‘People who live in Sri Lanka are first and foremost Sri Lankans, then we have our race and religion, which is something given to us at birth’.

This institute is keeping Mr Kadirgamar’s vision for Sri Lanka alive by providing valuable analyses of the country’s strategic interests in a context of changing global realities.

Since independence in 1948, Sri Lanka has consistently shouldered international responsibilities. It has taken active part in UN norm-setting processes and has provided staff to key UN positions, including several Under-Secretary-Generals. Most notably Sri Lanka has contributed thousands of UN peacekeepers to missions around the world. At present, more than a thousand Sri Lankan troops are serving in UN peacekeeping missions in Haiti, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic.

These are crucial contributions not only to peace, but also to future prospects for development in countries seriously affected by conflict.

At home, Sri Lankan welfare policies have attracted international attention and influenced other countries’ policymaking. Achievements in the areas of health and education were important for Sri Lanka’s progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Indeed, free education and health services have been provided for decades. These and other achievements provide a good basis for achieving the SDGs.

Education, particularly for girls, is a human right as well as the most effective investment in sustainable development. Women’s full and equal participation at all levels and sectors in society is vital, including in politics and business.

This will boost economic growth, help ending poverty, improve global health, protect our environment and climate and strengthen peace and stability.

As co-chair of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Sustainable Development Goals Advocacy Group, I am pleased that the development priorities of Sri Lanka are in line with the SDGs. As Prime Minister of Norway, I am also pleased that these priorities shape our bilateral development cooperation. Key goals in this respect include:

• SDG 13 on climate action;
• SDG 14 on conservation of the oceans;
• SDG 16 on peace and justice;
• SDG 5 on gender equality; and
• SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy.

First of all, I would like to share my thoughts about why and how the SDGs are a roadmap to the future we all want.
I see the set of SDGs as the main track – not a side track – for addressing the root causes of poverty, conflict, violent extremism, refugee crises, youth unemployment, forced migration and global warming.

These economic, social and environmental problems affect all of us, regardless of where we live – or how we make a living. When it comes to achieving sustainable development all countries are developing countries.

We all need to see the link between the long-term work to achieve the SDGs and the comprehensive action needed to address what is broken in our world.

Our aim is to leave no one behind as we make progress towards the SDGs.

Why is the principle of leaving no one behind so important?

Nelson Mandela has put it best – and I quote: ‘As long as poverty, injustice and gross inequality exist in our world, none of us can truly rest.’

Eradicating extreme poverty, ensuring mothers and children do not die from avoidable complications during childbirth, making sure that everyone is nourished, and gets a quality education – all this is our common responsibility.

So leaving no one behind is the right motto for our efforts.

It is also a smart motto in our highly interdependent world.

If we are to achieve lasting peace, stop forced migration, fight pandemics and stop harmful climate change anywhere in the world, our common SDG efforts must apply everywhere in the world.

This is why we will not leave fragile and marginalised areas and populations behind.

We know from the MDG campaign that reaching the most marginalised is difficult. This is mainly due to problems of access and high costs.

It is often hard to reach people trapped in areas of crisis and conflict for obvious reasons of safety.

And it is costly because a good deal of infrastructure has to be built from scratch in the poorest and most marginalised areas of the world.

This means that people living in these areas miss out on virtually all the development taking place elsewhere in the world, and that they do not enjoy even the most basic rights.

However, this should be taken as a challenge – not a discouragement.

If it takes preventing and stopping wars – if it takes building basic infrastructure from scratch – to reach the most vulnerable, marginalised and destitute, we are going to do just that.
And we are going to do it for our common good.

The SDGs are universal. We all own these goals – and we can only achieve them together. That means that we need a strong sense of ownership, able leadership and innovative public partnerships at all levels.

Ownership is essential. It is human nature to care about what you own.

Besides, ownership of all the goals – not just by leaders, but by everyone – is crucial if we are to mobilise the extra effort required.

There are many good examples of building SDG ownership, such as the SDG consultation processes with relevant stakeholders around the world. These should continue.

Awareness and knowledge are essential for ownership. In Norway, the SDGs are to be included in our school curriculums. Ensuring free media is also an important part of our efforts.

The business sector too is taking ownership of the SDGs, as a growing number of companies align their business strategies with the goals. I have learnt for instance that the Sri Lankan textile industry has initiated energy efficiency efforts.

Today, and every day until the goals are achieved, we must take concrete steps to make the world more sustainable.
This requires leadership in all countries and at all levels of society.

There are already several examples of leadership within the private sector. Now political leaders must cultivate political will. And they must translate political will into legislation, policies and concrete plans.
Then we must finance and implement the plans.

Financing sustainable development requires domestic revenue generation combined with good management of existing resources and improved tax structures that eliminate tax havens.

This is not only a question of global leadership; it is also a question of national and local leadership. At the same time it is a question of international solidarity.

International development aid will be needed in the most vulnerable areas of the world to ensure that no one is left behind.

The 17 goals are interconnected, and many of them require cooperation across national borders.
That means that we will fail or succeed together.

In many areas, business as usual will not do. We must build new and innovative partnerships.

Governments, businesses, civil society organisations and academia must work together to find efficient, sustainable solutions locally, nationally and globally.

The best-known example of an international, cross-sectoral partnership is probably GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance. GAVI was important for the success of the Millennium Development Goals.

Let us find inspiration in the Vaccine Alliance as we form partnerships based on the new goals.

For example, Sri Lanka and Norway could work together through our fisheries cooperation on sustainable use of marine resources (SDG 14). We hope that the Norwegian funded research vessel Fridtjof Nansen will visit Sri Lankan waters next year to do a stock assessment.

I believe equity in education is the key to unlocking opportunities for everybody to enjoy a good life. Worldwide, 37 million children and adolescents are out of school due to crises and conflicts.

In Syria, for example, it is clear that the international community has done too little too late. School provides a sense of normality and hope, and helps build skills that give young people opportunities for the future. It will be even more challenging to build inclusive and sustainable societies if children and young people are denied an education.

The main responsibility for education rests with national governments. Domestic resource mobilisation is therefore crucial. At the same time, aid will continue to play a role, especially in the poorest countries, in fragile situations and for marginalised groups.

When my Government took office almost three years ago, we made education the top priority in Norway’s development policy. We are in the process of doubling aid for education over a four-year period, with particular focus on girls’ education, quality and learning outcomes, vocational training, and education in emergencies and protracted crises.

We have chosen a broad and comprehensive approach, using a variety of channels and partners. We want to spur action at the global, national and local level. Norway is a strong supporter of multilateral institutions including UNICEF and UNESCO. We are doubling our support to the Global Partnership for Education.

A substantial part of our funding is also channelled through civil society. It is important to build accountability and engagement at the community level, and local NGOs have a key role to play, involving parents and local communities.

The downward trend in aid for education over the past years must be reversed. We need a renewed and compelling investment case for education. And we need a financing pathway for achieving universal access to quality education.
This is why I initiated the International Commission on Financing Global Education Opportunities, together with UNESCO General Director Irina Bokova and the Presidents of Chile, Indonesia and Malawi. The Commission was established last summer and is chaired by the UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown.

In September, the commission will submit its report to the UN Secretary-General who has promised that he will act upon its recommendations. I have high hopes that this report will mobilise greater political will and more financial resources.

Reaching SDG 4 – and the other goals – will be a challenge. But the new development agenda also offers a unique opportunity. For the first time in history, we can succeed in providing quality education for all children and young people. Sri Lanka has achieved a literacy rate of more than 92%, gender parity in education, and has put an end to disparity in school enrolment. Here you are ahead of other countries in the region, and can lead the way.

Turning now to health, Norway’s investments in global health in 2016 will amount to 365 million US dollars. Our two main funding channels are GAVI (the Vaccine Alliance) and the Global Fund to Fight Aids Tuberculosis and Malaria. Both organisations are increasing their efforts and resources to help those who are hardest to reach, in line with the principle of leaving no one behind.

In conclusion, I would like to underline that the Sustainable Development Goals are not just a means of fixing what is broken in our world; they will put the world on a new, sustainable path.

It will take a lot of effort to achieve the goals, but this is our generation’s most important task. If we put our minds and resources to it, we can eradicate extreme poverty by 2030.
So let us get to work. In Norway, Sri Lanka – all over the world.

Thank you

Norway and Sri Lanka have renewed their commitment to revitalize the relationship between both countries, the Foreign Ministry said today.

The commitment was made during the just concluded visit to Sri Lanka by the Prime Minister of Norway, Erna Solberg.

The Prime Minister commenced a two-day official visit on 12 August 2016. This official visit took place in her dual capacity as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Norway as well as co-chair of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Advocacy Group, an appointment made by the UN Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.

Prime Minister Solberg had bilateral discussions with President Maithripala Sirisena on 12 August and she also called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, and the Leader of the Opposition, R. Sampanthan.

“The official visit of the Norwegian Prime Minister to Sri Lanka reflects the renewed commitment of Sri Lanka and Norway to revitalize a relationship spanning over 65 years. The Prime Minister’s visit follows on the initiatives of Foreign Minister Børge Brende and Norway’s State Secretary Tore Hattrem during their visits to Sri Lanka in January and May-June 2016 respectively, and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s visit to Oslo in June 2016,” the Foreign Ministry said.

The discussions held on 12 August focused on strengthening ties between the two countries in all spheres, especially economic and technical cooperation. Norway has agreed to assist Sri Lanka develop its fisheries sector to increase productivity and sustainability.

Ways to further advance the bilateral economic agenda by diversifying areas of cooperation in tourism, aquaculture, renewable energy and education were also discussed. The Norwegian Pension Fund (Sovereign Wealth Fund), which has already invested US$31million in different sectors in Sri Lanka, was invited to further invest in emerging new avenues.

Prime Minister Solberg commended the progress made by Sri Lanka in advancing political and economic reforms and advancing reconciliation since January 2015, including the successful passage of the Office on Missing Persons Bill.

President Sirisena, while apprising Prime Minister Solberg of developments in Sri Lanka since January 2015, thanked Norway for being a longstanding and steady development cooperation partner through NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation) since 1977. President Sirisena congratulated the Norwegian Premier on her appointment as co-chair of the Advocacy Group on the SDGs. The two leaders discussed cooperation in multilateral fora and ways to move forward the SDGs agenda.

In the evening of 12 August, Prime Minister Solberg delivered the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture 2016 on the theme ‘Sustainable Development Goals: Working together for our Common Good’.

Yesterday she visited the Mirissa Fishery Harbour, and then proceeded to visit the Galle Fort.

(N.Sethu)

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg said today international responsibilities were crucial contributions not only to peace, but also to future prospects for development in countries seriously affected by conflict. Delivering the Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture 2016, she said Sri Lanka had consistently shouldered international responsibilities since independence in 1948.

“It has taken active part in UN norm-setting processes and has provided staff to key UN positions, including several Under-Secretary-Generals. Most notably Sri Lanka has contributed thousands of UN peacekeepers to missions around the world.

At present, more than a thousand Sri Lankan troops are serving in UN peacekeeping missions in Haiti, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic,” she said.

Prime Minister Solberg, who delivered her speech on Sustainable Development Goals, said that Sri Lankan welfare policies had attracted international attention and influenced other countries’ policymaking.

“Achievements in the areas of health and education were important for Sri Lanka’s progress towards the Millennium Development Goals. Indeed, free education and health services have been provided for decades. These and other achievements provide a good basis for achieving the SDGs,” she said.

She said education, particularly for girls, was a human right as well as the most effective investment in sustainable development and added that women’s full and equal participation at all levels and sectors in society was vital, including in politics and business.

“This will boost economic growth, help ending poverty, improve global health, protect our environment and climate and strengthen peace and stability,” she added.

(dailymirror)

A meeting between visiting Norwegian Prime Minister and the Leader of the Tamil National Alliance and Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan took place in Colombo yesterday.

Sampanthan brought to the notice of the Prime Minister concerning various issues faced by the Tamil people in the North and East. He pointed out that even though some of the lands had been released by the military in the North and East, the government could have done much more in this matter. He further stated that the resettlement processes too could have been done speedily by the Government.

Speaking on framing the new Constitution and the processes towards it, Sampanthan stressed that the resolution to the national question must be found in the new Constitution. Speaking at the meeting with regard to the Office of the Missing Person’s Bill, Sumanthiran said it’s a positive step the Government has taken in finding the truth which would lead to true reconciliation.

The Prime Minister assured that Norway would continuously and constructively engage with Sri Lanka in supporting to its economic development and also in the reconciliation process.

Sri Lanka and Norway will take steps to increase cooperation in several areas, including fisheries, information technology, energy, hydro and solar power as well as oil and gas exploration.

This was revealed during the bilateral discussions held between President Maithripala Sirisena and visiting Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg at the Presidential Secretariat today (12th Aug.).

Ms Solberg expressed appreciation over the steps taken by the current government to strengthen democracy, reconciliation and development.

The President said that Sri Lanka would appreciate technical expertise from Norway to develop the fisheries industry in Sri Lanka as there are immense possibilities for growth in both sea fishing and inland fisheries. He said that Sri Lanka seeks foreign investments in export oriented industries such as garments, gem and jewellery, ceramic, plants, timber and medicine. He said that Minister Mahinda Amaraweera would visit Norway next week to discuss ways and means of expanding cooperation in the fisheries sector.

Ms Solberg said her government would take steps to bring together potential Norwegian investors and Sri Lankan partners. She added that as Sri Lanka has now reached the status of a Middle-Income Country, the focus would be to assist development and increase cooperation in trade, industry and business.

Norwegian Prime Minister praised the tourism industry in Sri Lanka and said that she had a most enjoyable holiday in the island during the last week. She added that there is immense scope for high growth in the tourism sector.

The Norwegian delegation, headed by Prime Minister Erna Solberg included Thorbjorn Gaustadsaether, Ambassador of Norway to Sri Lanka, Lasse Bjorn Johannessen, Director, South Asia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway, Borge Romsloe, Senior Adviser, Prime Minister’s Office of Norway, Espen Gullikstad, Special Adviser for Sustainable Development Goals and Prime Minister’s Office/Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Norway.

The government delegation was comprised of Ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Mahinda Amaraweera, Ravi Karunanayake, Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle, and Secretary to the President P B Abeykoon, Treasury Secretary Dr. H.M.S Samaratunga and Foreign Secretary Esala Weerakoon.

(N.Sethu)

Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, who is currently on an official visit to Sri Lanka, met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees this afternoon.

(N.Sethu)

Sri Lanka’s President Maithripala Sirisena today received the Prime Minister of Norway Erna Solberg, who is commencing a two-day official visit from today, at the Presidential Secretariat.

The Norwegian leader was accorded a guard of honor and a gun salute, following which the two heads of state held bilateral discussions.

Later today Ms. Solberg will meet Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. She will also be meeting Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan.

Solberg has been invited to deliver this year’s Lakshman Kadirgamar Memorial Lecture. It will take place tomorrow at the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations and Strategic Studies. Prime Minister Solberg will visit a Fisheries Harbour project in Mirissa on Sunday where she will meet harbour development committee representatives. She will also visit the Galle Fort, ministry sources said.

(N.Sethu)