October 11, Colombo (LNW): A high-level delegation from the United Nations has carried out a series of discussions with key figures in Sri Lanka’s Parliament, aimed at evaluating potential avenues for international cooperation in bolstering the country’s electoral systems.
The mission, composed of senior UN officials from the Electoral Assistance Division and other relevant branches, visited Sri Lanka at the invitation of the country’s Election Commission. Their objective was to gather perspectives from a wide spectrum of national stakeholders, and to better understand the landscape of electoral governance in the country.
Meetings were held within the Parliament premises and included consultations with Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya, alongside a group of lawmakers representing the Government. The delegation also engaged in separate talks with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and opposition parliamentarians, ensuring a bipartisan approach to the discussions.
In addition, the visiting officials met with members of two key parliamentary caucuses: the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus and the Parliamentary Caucus for Youth. These engagements reflected the mission’s broader interest in promoting inclusivity and participation in the democratic process.
The discussions covered a range of areas critical to the development of a modern and resilient electoral framework. Among the primary topics were the enhancement of electoral transparency, increased representation of women in political life, the importance of civic education, and the use of digital technologies to streamline election procedures. Addressing obstacles faced by young people and women entering the political arena was also given particular emphasis.
The UN team acknowledged the competence of Sri Lanka’s Election Commission and praised the integrity of the electoral mechanisms currently in place. The officials expressed the organisation’s readiness to extend technical guidance and support to help drive reforms that ensure elections are fair, inclusive, and secure.
The delegation included several senior figures from UN Headquarters in New York, such as Ms Michele Griffin, Director of the Electoral Assistance Division; Mr Dan Malinovich, Electoral Policy Specialist; Ms Amanda Stark, Political Affairs Officer for Asia and the Pacific; and Ms Mikyong Kim, a specialist in electoral and political affairs. Their visit forms part of the UN’s broader commitment to supporting democratic institutions around the world through capacity-building and dialogue.
