The meeting between the President and the Namibian Prime Minister took place at Hotel Los Tajibos
today. President Rajapaksa is currently visiting Santa Cruz in Bolivia to attend the Golden Jubilee of the
G77. During the meeting, Prime Minister Geingob extended the good wishes of his President
Hifikepunye Pohamba to President Rajapaksa.
President Rajapaksa, apprising the Namibian Prime Minister of the progress achieved by Sri Lanka
following the end of the conflict, pointed out that the country has done much work in the areas of
resettling internally displaced persons, rehabilitating and reintegrating ex-combatants, releasing ex-child
soldiers and developing infrastructure within a short span of time.
“We were able to hold provincial council elections in the North,” the President said. “We have appointed
commissions for national reconciliation. One is the Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission and
the other one is the Presidential Commission to Investigate Complaints Regarding Missing Persons.
People live in peace. The only ones who are unhappy are the politicians and forces against the
country.”
The Namibian Prime Minister, explaining the similar situation his country is faced with, expressed his
gratitude to President Rajapaksa for Sri Lanka’s assistance extended towards Namibia.
Minister of External Affairs Prof. G.L. Peiris, Secretary to the President Mr. Lalith Weeratunga,
Secretary to the Ministry of External Affairs Mrs. Kshenuka Senewiratne, Sri Lanka’s Permanent
Representative to the United Nations Dr. Palitha Kohona and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador in Cuba Mr.
Sarath Dissanayake were also present at the discussion.