Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya met the Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, at Marlborough House in London on Thursday during her official visit to the United Kingdom.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting took place on the sidelines of the 43rd Commonwealth of Learning (COL) Board of Governors Meeting 2026, which the Prime Minister is attending.
The Prime Minister expressed appreciation for the Commonwealth’s engagement with Sri Lanka and commended the Secretary-General’s leadership in enhancing the relevance and effectiveness of the organisation, Newswire reported.
Discussions focused on climate change, climate finance, democratic governance, women’s political participation and ongoing Commonwealth support for member states.
Amarasuriya highlighted Sri Lanka’s commitment to resilience-building, sustainable development and inclusive governance, while appreciating the continued engagement extended by the Commonwealth Secretariat.
The Secretary-General reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s readiness to continue supporting Sri Lanka through technical assistance, capacity-building initiatives and collaboration on areas including climate finance and electoral governance.
The bilateral meeting is the second public engagement of the Prime Minister’s London visit, following her reception with the Sri Lankan community on Wednesday, where she addressed an audience of about 1,000 diaspora members alongside High Commissioner Nimal Senadheera.
Botchwey, a former foreign minister of Ghana, took office as Commonwealth Secretary-General in April 2025 and is the first woman to hold the post.
