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Norway to close its Colombo embassy
The Norwegian government has decided to close its embassy in Colombo by July end next year.The embassy has said in a release said that the government of Norway has decided to make structural changes in its network of diplomatic missions abroad.
As conveyed in a press from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sunday, this involves a strengthening of several Norwegian Embassies in Europe and beyond. As part of these reforms, it has also been decided to permanently close five Norwegian diplomatic missions abroad, including the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, by the end of July 2023. The Norwegian Embassy in Colombo is also accredited to the Maldives.
The decision to close the Embassy in Colombo does not have any bearing on the bilateral relationship between Norway and Sri Lanka. The Government of Norway remains committed to continue further development of friendly and constructive relations between our two countries. To ensure the continuation of the amicable and long-standing bilateral diplomatic relations, going forward, Norway intends to accredit a Head of Mission and assign diplomatic staff based at another Norwegian Embassy in the region to cover Sri Lanka.
“I am sad to share the news of the planned closure of the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo,” underscores Norwegian Ambassador Trine Jøranli Eskedal. “This is a result of a wider process to determine how the Norwegian Foreign Service should be set up to deal with the changing geopolitical environment and safeguard Norwegian interests and is not related to Sri Lanka in particular. We will continue to maintain our warm bilateral relations with Sri Lanka. Development assistance will also continue”, she stresses.
Norway has been providing aid to Sri Lanka since the 1960s. However, as Sri Lanka transitioned to middle-income status, Norwegian aid to Sri Lanka has been gradually reduced. However, Norway continues to support several ongoing, long-term development programmes, such as support for employment and food security in the Northern Province. In 2021, total Norwegian development assistance to Sri Lanka was NOK 59.7 million (approximately LKR 2150 million), of which NOK 21 million (approximately LKR 756 million) was channeled through the Embassy. In response to the current economic crisis in Sri Lanka, last month Norway provided humanitarian support amounting to a total of NOK 13 million (approximately LKR 490 million) to Sri Lanka through UN organizations.
Once the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo is closed, consular services in Sri Lanka will be provided from another Norwegian Embassy in the region. There is already a visa hub in New Delhi which handles visa applications from Sri Lanka and Maldives, and applicants can visit a VFS office in Colombo for visa appointments. Norway opened the Embassy in Colombo in 1996, having had a Norad office in the country since 1976. Historically, an important part of the rationale for Norway’s presence in Sri Lanka was linked to Norway’s role in the peace and reconciliation process.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
