Sri Lanka is at the threshold of hosting the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the first major international conference hosted by us since the Non Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in 1976.

CHOGM is being held in Asia after nearly three decades, External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris said.

The Minister was presiding over the annual Graduation Ceremony of the Bandaranaike International Diplomatic Training Institute (BIDTI) on Tuesday.

He stated that for the first time since Independence, the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa had undertaken a major review of its foreign policy. Minister Peiris pointed out that strengthening of relations with countries in the African region and the opening of several new resident Diplomatic Missions in Africa were also a result of this review process.

Minister Peiris highlighted the paramount importance of acquiring diplomatic skills that were required today not only by professional diplomats but also by all those who interact with the international community.

He stated that the courses conducted by the BIDTI for the public have been in high demand and this growing interest was the clearest indication that people in the public and private sectors were aware of the need to acquire such skills.

Minister Peiris said he was pleased that the BIDTI which is the Foreign Service Training Institute of the Ministry of External Affairs was able to provide these training opportunities to the public.

Minister Peiris expressed his particular satisfaction about the collaboration between the BIDTI, the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare and the International Labour Organization (ILO) in providing training to officers who will be posted to Sri Lanka Missions abroad to look after Sri Lanka’s migrant workers, particularly in the Middle East.

He also appreciated the longstanding cooperation between the BIDTI and the Ministry of Defence in providing training to officers of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces on global affairs and strategic studies.

At the Graduation Ceremony, 58 students were awarded the Diploma in Diplomacy and Global Affairs, while 48 students were awarded the Certificate in Diplomacy and World Affairs. In addition, 25 newly recruited officers of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service who have successfully completed the Induction Training Program were also awarded certificates.

Moreover, 22 officers from the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment and the Department of Labour who successfully completed the Certificate Course in Labour Migration and Operational Procedures in Diplomatic Missions in Labour Receiving Countries also received their Certificates.

Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera, External Affairs Deputy Minister Neomal Perera, Secretary to the Prime Minister S.S. Amarasekara, External Affairs Ministry Secretary K. Amunugama, Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Ministry Secretary Nissanka Wijeratne and a representative gathering of Ambassadors and High Commissioners were among the guests who attended the ceremony.

Source: Daily News (Sri Lanka)