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Freedom of expression must be within the Constitutional order – Sabry tells UNGA

26 Sep 2022 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}      

  • Calls for legislative measures and law enforcement mechanisms to counter terrorism and radical ideologies
  • Pleased to have reached a staff level understanding with the IMF 
  • Sri Lanka’s COVID-19 vaccination drive exceeded WHO targets, yet the country was vulnerable to the pandemic’s economic fallout 

While claiming that Sri Lanka unconditionally recognizes the fact that one has a fundamental right to freedom of expression, foreign minister Ali Sabry however told UN General Assembly’s 77th session that this freedom must be within the constitutional order.   “Freedom of expression is sacrosanct and must be exercised within the confines of the law , he said. The minister also said that confronted with overlapping challenges, developing countries and their economies are at extreme risk with Governments facing debt-default and financial collapse due to a lack of access to adequate capital, while people face rising poverty, unemployment, hunger and education disruption. 

  He called for the international community’s cooperation and support as his country embarks on political, social and economic reforms. “We are pleased to have reached a staff level understanding with the IMF,” he said, noting his country’s efforts to reach the most vulnerable through economic reforms.

   
On COVID-19, Sri Lanka’s vaccination drive exceeded WHO targets, yet the country was vulnerable to the pandemic’s economic fallout, he said, stressing the importance of multilateral cooperation through global health networks.  


Highlighting Sri Lanka’s commitments to the targets of the Paris Agreement and its aim of reducing emissions to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050, he called on the world’s largest emitters of greenhouse gases to fulfil their commitments and assist developing nations in adaptation and mitigation measures.   


Turning to disarmament, he said that agreed frameworks for arms control, non-proliferation and disarmament have become fragile and expressed regret that a consensus outcome wasn’t reached at the Tenth Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.   


He restated Sri Lanka’s consistent, principled position that the Palestinian people have a legitimate, inalienable right to the natural resources in their territory and to statehood and the urgent need to attain a two-State solution.   


The absence of a regulatory supervisory regime concerning the use of new technologies in cyberspace and in artificial intelligence needs to be addressed urgently, he said, noting the implementation of Sri Lanka’s first Information and Cyber Security Strategy and stressing the importance of establishing a partnership-based approach to protect cyberspace from multinational cyberthreats.   


Noting Sri Lanka was a victim of terrorism for several decades, he called for legislative measures and law enforcement mechanisms to counter terrorism and radical ideologies. To contribute to international peace and security, Sri Lanka looks forward to enhancing its participation in peacekeeping operations.