Sri Lanka Ministers Attend 2015 Conservative Party Conference

Two Cabinet Ministers from Sri Lanka's United National Party (UNP) attended the recently concluded Conservative Party Conference from Oct 4 - 7 in Manchester. Minister of Development Strategies & International Trade, Malik Samarawickrama MP and Minister of Southern Development, Sagala Ratnayaka MP were joined by UNP Campaign Manager, Mahinda Haradasa, in participating at the annual Conference as international guests of the Conservative Party. They held discussions in a range of Bilateral meetings with British Government Ministers, Peers, Westminster and European Parliamentarians.

One of the highlights of their Conference attendance was a meeting on Monday with Prime Minister, David Cameron, who is in his 10th year as leader of the Conservatives and in his 2nd term as UK's Prime Minister, following the Party winning an outright majority victory at the May 2015 General Election. The participation of the UNP delegates continues the long-standing international connection that the UNP and Conservative Party share as members of the International Democratic Union - a global alliance of centre-right political parties.

The conference followed on from the increased recent activity on the global stage by Sri Lanka, which included President Maithripala Sirisena's well-received address at the 70th Sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the historic adoption of the consensual resolution at the 30th Sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva entitled "Promoting Reconciliation, Accountability and Human Rights in Sri Lanka", and, a high profile Sri Lankan Govt delegation visit to Japan, led by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera and Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake.

Mr Samarawickrama, Mr Ratnayaka and Mr Haradasa were also able to update key British Cabinet Ministers about current developments in Sri Lanka, including the Foreign Secretary Rt Hon Philip Hammond MP, Home Secretary Rt Hon Theresa May MP, Minister of State for Trade & Investment Lord Francis Maude, Secretary of State for International Development Rt Hon Justine Greening MP and Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rt Hon Greg Hands MP.

The Sri Lankan ministers and Mr Haradasa also held close talks with the Executive Committee of Conservative Friends of Sri Lanka (CFSL), who facilitated meetings aimed at strengthening Anglo-Sri Lanka relationships on a number of fronts including promoting increased parliamentary dialogue and developing greater opportunities for trade and investment between the two countries. In this connection, CFSL arranged bilateral meetings with several British parliamentarians during the course of the conference including Andrew Rosindell, Romford MP and member of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee; Ranil Jayawardena, North East Hampshire MP and Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka (APPG-SL); David Morris, Morecambe & Lunesdale MP and Govt Ambassador for the Self-Employed & Freelancers; Stephen Hammond, Wimbledon MP and former Transport Minister; Bob Blackman, Harrow East MP and member of the Select Committees on Backbench Business, Communities & Local Government; Chris Philp, South Croydon MP and member of the Treasury Select Committee; Geoffrey Van Orden, MEP and Vice Chair of the European Conservatives & Reformists Group. Ranil Jayawardena was able to confirm that he had recently received a written invitation from PM Ranil Wickremesinghe and that the APPG-SL would probably arrange for a cross-party parliamentary delegation to visit the country early in 2016, at a mutually convenient time.

The key slogan for this year's Annual Conference was "Security, Stability and Opportunity" and was reported to be largest and most successful Party gathering ever. It featured a host of speeches, debates, receptions and fringe events, during a packed four-day agenda which provided a chance for Conservative members, activists, the media and public to hear about the Party's plans, policies and ideas for the coming year. The delegates from Sri Lanka flew directly in to Manchester Airport to attend the start of the Conference on Sunday Oct 4th, which was held in a high-security zone around Manchester Central Convention Complex and the city's Midland Hotel. The Sri Lankan delegation also witnessed David Cameron's much-anticipated leader's speech which concluded the Conference on Wednesday Oct 7th morning.