The United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, who arrived in the country Wednesday on a three-day official visit, called on Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Temple Trees on Thursday.The Prime Minister, prior to his departure to Singapore later in the day, met with the visiting UN chief for close-door discussions, officials said. Following the meeting with the UN Chief, the Premier in a statemnet on his official Facebook page said “discussing the objectives which should be realized by both parties through his official state visit took precedence.”
Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the state visit by the UNSG will provide courage and strength to implement development programs which are currently being formulated by the government.
“It is my view that this state visit will provide the courage and strength to implement the development programmes which are currently being formulated by the Government,” the Prime Minister said in his statement.
Ban will also meet Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera, and Leader of the Opposition R. Sampanthan as well as several other political leaders and civil society representatives.
On Friday, the Secretary-General will travel to Jaffna, where he will meet the Governor of the Northern Province Reginald Cooray and visit a resettlement site. He will also visit a resettlement site in Jaffna in the North where some of the internally displaced persons still live.