President Maithripala Sirisena arrived at the John F.Kennedy Airport in New York to attend the 72nd United Nations’ General Assembly (UNGA) Sessions. The President was warmly welcomed by Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations Dr. Rohan Perera and embassy staff in New York.
The President is due to address the UN General Assembly at 5.00 p.m., New York time, on September 19.
President Sirisena along with First Lady Jayanthi Sirisena arrived by flight EK 207 from Dubai and proceeded by a special motorcade to Loews Regency Hotel that is accommodating the Sri Lankan delegation.
The President and First Lady were warmly welcomed at the Loews Regency Hotel by Secretary to the Foreign Affairs Ministry Prasad Kariyawasam.
President Sirisena is scheduled to participate in a number of bilateral discussions that includes ones with Pakistan’s new Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Prime Minister of Nepal Sher Bahadur. The President is also scheduled to participate in bilateral meetings with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on September 22 and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres at the UN Secretariat building on September 23.
The President will also attend a dinner hosted by Dr. Rohan Perera, the permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN on September 22. He is due to meet the members of Sri Lankan Expatriate Community in New York and participate in a felicitation function for Most Venerable Kurunegoda Piyatissa Thera of New York Buddhist Vihara on September 23.
The President is to conclude his six-day official visit on September 23.