Prez calls on for more financial support at UNGA

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday called on the member countries of the United Nations (UN) and international agencies to further increase their assistance towards developing nations so they are able to fully come out of the crisis brought about by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Stating that the increased global cooperation which is visible during the ongoing crisis is "greatly encouraging", President Rajapaksa addressing the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York said that there is "still more to be done".

"It is vital that more initiatives including development financing and debt relief be adopted through international mechanisms to support developing nations and help them emerge from this uncertain situation," said Rajapaksa to world leaders during his address.

He also thanked bilateral and multilateral donors for the financial and material support extended to Sri Lanka to manage the Covid-19 crisis.

Further, he noted that the economic impact of the pandemic has been especially severe on developing countries, which has placed the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at considerable risk.