Ambassador Jayantha Jayasuriya has formally presented his Letters of Credence as the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations to UN Secretary-General António Guterres at a solemn ceremony held at the UN Headquarters in New York on Thursday (June 5).
During the presentation, Ambassador Jayasuriya conveyed the warm greetings of the President of Sri Lanka to the Secretary-General and expressed his commitment to working closely with the United Nations and its affiliated agencies.
Secretary-General Guterres, in response, acknowledged Sri Lanka’s long-standing commitment to multilateralism and warmly welcomed Ambassador Jayasuriya to New York. He also asked that his cordial greetings be conveyed to the President of Sri Lanka, according to a statement from the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to the UN.
Following the formalities, the two engaged in a bilateral meeting, during which Secretary-General Guterres fondly recalled his visit to Sri Lanka as a young parliamentarian with the Inter-Parliamentary Union. He described his enduring connection with the country and encouraged Sri Lanka to continue playing an active role within the UN framework.
He noted that small and developing nations like Sri Lanka have often been pivotal in spotlighting global issues that the United Nations must prioritize and address.
Ambassador Jayasuriya reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to the United Nations and praised the UN’s continued support for the country’s development efforts. He also highlighted that 2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Sri Lanka’s membership in the UN, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, and pledged his full cooperation during this milestone year.
A seasoned legal professional and diplomat, Ambassador Jayasuriya, P.C., previously served as the 47th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Called to the Bar in 1982, he held several roles in the Attorney General’s Department, rising to the position of Attorney General in 2016. He was appointed President’s Counsel in 2012 and has also served as a Trial Attorney at the UN International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and Rwanda (ICTR). He is a Commonwealth Scholar with a distinguished record in public service.
