COLOMBO – Sri Lanka has received the support of 43 member states at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in Geneva, which the Government described as a sign of positive progress in human rights protection. The backing came during the interactive dialogue at the Council’s 60th session, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism announced.
Among the countries that expressed support were Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast, Philippines, Japan, Laos, Thailand, Vanuatu, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Eritrea, Iran, Nepal, India, Zimbabwe, Vietnam, China, Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Turkey, Belarus, Egypt, Venezuela, Maldives, Cuba, South Sudan, Sudan, the Russian Federation and Burundi.
According to the Ministry, these nations welcomed Sri Lanka’s continued engagement with the Human Rights Council and the recent visit by the High Commissioner as evidence of improved cooperation. They also acknowledged significant legislative reforms and tangible progress underway, while urging the international community to support Sri Lanka’s nationally owned processes.
Several countries raised concerns over diverting resources to an external mechanism for Sri Lanka, warning that such parallel processes risk becoming polarising. They argued that imposing country-specific measures undermines the Human Rights Council’s founding principles of universality, impartiality and non-selectivity.
In their statements, the supporting nations further expressed concern about double standards, politicisation and the instrumentalisation of human rights to interfere in domestic affairs. They called for constructive dialogue and genuine cooperation within the Council to ensure effective protection and promotion of human rights.
