In accordance with Circular No. PS/SB/Circular/2/2025 issued by the Secretary to the President, the Internal Affairs Unit of the Prime Minister’s Office was officially established today (06) at Temple Trees under the leadership of Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri.

Accordingly, Additional Secretary (Administration) Mr. Ruwan Jayasundara has been appointed as the Head of the Internal Affairs Unit, and Administrative Officer Ms. K.A.S. Shripali has been appointed as the Compliance Officer.

Internal Affairs Unit has been established with a focus on confirming the integrity of officials and fostering a corruption-free public service in Sri Lanka, alongside placing the top priority on introducing robust anti-corruption measures within the public sector, implementing the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and other international anti-corruption conventions in line with the Article 156 of the Constitution, and the planning of Anti-Corruption Act No. 9 of 2023, the National Anti-Corruption Action Plan (2025–2029).

The aim is to serve as a key turning point in Sri Lanka’s efforts to eliminate corruption across public institutions by promoting a culture of transparency, accountability, and integrity in enabling the delivery of effective and reliable government services to all citizens.

The expected functions of the Internal Affairs Unit include: preventing corruption within the institution and fostering a culture of integrity; ensuring transparency and accountability in all institutional operations and guaranteeing public access to information related to institutional actions and decisions; promoting ethical governance; encouraging the reporting of misconduct; ensuring confidentiality; establishing a secure reporting mechanism and assist to the enforcement of laws in collaboration with law enforcement agencies and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

Two complaint boxes have been placed at Temple Trees and at the Prime Minister’s Office located in Sirimathipaya for receiving public complaints, suggestions, and allegations related to the Prime Minister’s Office. In addition, complaints can be submitted via WhatsApp to 0711130898, by phone at 0114354754, or via email to iau@pmoffice.gov.lk.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya met with Mr. Kenji Kuronuma, the newly appointed Chief Representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), at the Parliament of Sri Lanka on june 05th to reaffirm the longstanding development partnership between the two countries.

During the meeting, Mr. Kuronuma expressed JICA’s continued commitment to supporting Sri Lanka, particularly in the education sector. The Prime Minister congratulated Mr. Kuronuma on his new appointment and emphasized the government’s dedication to accountability, transparency, and inclusive reform, values shared by JICA in its technical cooperation efforts.

The discussion focused on strengthening inclusive education, especially for children with special needs. Key areas of collaboration include establishing special education units in all divisions, revising teacher training curricula, and conducting thorough needs assessments. Vocational training, overseas employment opportunities, and Japanese language instruction for Sri Lankan job seekers were additionally explored.

The meeting was attended by senior JICA officials and key government representatives, including Secretary to the Prime Minister Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Additional Secretary Ms. Sagarika Bogahawatta, Acting Director General Ms. Ruwanthi Delpitiya, Assistant Director Ms. Gayanga Dias of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and senior officials from the Department of External Resources.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Sri Lanka is endowed with an exceptional natural ecosystem, surrounded by a unique maritime zone, enriched by over one hundred major river systems, and fertile soil layers that extend across the country creating habitants to a remarkable degree of biodiversity.

Alongside this rich environmental diversity, our nation has emerged as a distinctive point of interest on the global stage.

However, due to decades of insufficient attention and inadequate protection, we are now witnessing the degradation of our vital water resources, biological assets, and fertile soil.

The growing disconnect between humanity and the environment has led to the alarming depletion of natural resources, a matter of grave concern and deep regret.

As the newly elected government, we recognize our profound responsibility to ensure that such environmental tragedies do not recur. As the National People’s Power, we uphold the vision of a sustainable environment that secures the well-being of all living beings and hold this as a fundamental policy principle to making a significant contribution towards achieving environmental justice and equity.

The theme for this year’s World Environment Day is “Putting an End to Plastic Pollution.” I firmly believe that through the collective efforts of the government and the citizenry in the Clean Sri Lanka initiative, we can effectively halt the destruction of our environment caused by plastic pollution.

The Environment Week, which commenced on May 30th, presents a timely opportunity for all of us to re-evaluate the significance of our natural ecosystems and to take meaningful action to protect them.

"Let it Sprout" is the national theme for this year’s Environment Day. Let us all unite in our dedication to building a nation where Sri Lanka’s name continues to shine on the global stage, a country that nurtures the growth and well-being of its ecosystems, while also safeguarding the humanity, social fabric, and economic livelihoods of every citizen

Dr. Harini Amarasuriya
Prime Minister
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
05th June 2025

The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarsuriya, attended as the chief guest of the formal welcoming event for the Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defense, Richard Marles, held today (March 3) at Australia House in Colombo during his diplomatic visit to South and Southeast Asia.

While addressing the Event, The Prime Minister highlighted the long-standing and growing bilateral ties between Sri Lanka and Australia, which have been strengthened through cooperation in various sectors such as political, economic, educational, defense, social, and cultural. She also emphasized the importance of Australia’s support to Sri Lanka, especially during challenging times, and expressed optimism about further expanding trade and economic ties between the two countries.

The occasion was attended by His Excellency Paul Stephens, the High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka, as well as officials from the Australian Defense Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, along with several Members of Parliament and chief officials of the Defense, Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

The Government is ready to implement practical English teaching approaches through the new education reforms

The Prime Minister, Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that teaching English as a language should serve as a means to broaden opportunities, not as a tool to create social disparities, and the government is ready to implement practical English teaching approaches through the upcoming education reforms.

The Prime Minister made these remarks while delivering the keynote address at the Sri Lanka Education Conference 2025, organized by the British Council in Colombo on June 3.

The Prime Minister emphasized the need for wide-ranging cooperation to build an inclusive and equitable education system aligned with future needs. Therefore, the government is in need of the support of national and provincial government officials, Ministry of Education representatives, development partners, private sector stakeholders, teachers, and school leaders.

The primary goal of the new initiative is to ensure fair access to English education by creating opportunities for all students, fostering inclusivity, and promoting quality. Key aspects include empowering teachers and institutions, strengthening English-medium instruction, and enhancing digital tools for innovation and learning.

It must be brought to attention that how every student in Sri Lanka should be prepared for the advancing future. I strongly believe that we must move away from the mindset of ’being enslaved by the English language’ and instead promote it as a socially beneficial tool.

Learning the English language should be promoted as a means of expanding opportunities, not as a contributor to social disparities. It is important to ensure that access to English education is not determined by social class, geography, or family background, and should ensure that everyone is provided with equal opportunities.

The government plans to introduce new education reforms in 2026, and within them, the English language will not merely be treated as an exam subject. Instead, students will be encouraged to actively use the language through speaking and writing skills.

It is important that the teachers also play an active role in reducing students’ anxiety around language use, and students should be encouraged to understand that being understood by others or foreigners is sufficient when speaking English. The assessment methods for English should also be revised. These aspects are considered key components of the upcoming education reforms.

Plans are also in place to strengthen teacher education systems, enhance pre-service and in-service training, modernize curricula, and implement continuous professional development programs to equip teachers for delivering the new syllabi effectively.

Given the increasing demand for English-medium education, the government aims to expand the number of English-medium schools from 825 to at least 1,000. Additionally, steps are being taken to increase the number of bilingual teachers and provide training to those already in service.

Digital technology is rapidly transforming the teaching and learning landscape. However, disparities still exist between students who have unlimited access to these tools and those who cannot afford any. Bridging this digital divide is a key responsibility of the government and is a focus of the new education reforms. The government is ready to train teachers in the use of the latest technological tools to ensure students have equal access to them.

The Prime Minister further emphasized the need to be mindful of the risks in the digital world and reiterated that delivering quality education to schoolchildren through new education reforms requires collective support from all sectors.

The event was attended by Secretary to the Ministry of Education Mr. Nalaka Kaluwawala and the respective officials of the Ministry, representatives of the British Council, language scholars, teachers, and a large number of schoolchildren.

Prime Minister’s Media Division

Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya held two important diplomatic meetings at Temple Trees, engaging with both regional and international partners to strengthen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.

In the first meeting, the Prime Minister welcomed the European Parliamentary Delegation for discussions focused on mutual interests, cooperation in governance, and support for Sri Lanka’s development and democratic transition. The meeting served as an opportunity to further enhance dialogue between Sri Lanka and the European Union.

Representing the Sri Lankan side were Mrs.Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs, Ms.Lakmali Hemachandra, Member of Parliament,Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister; Ms. Vraie Cally Balthazar, Mayor Candidate of the National People’s Power (NPP) for the Colombo Municipal Council, and Ms. Isurika Karunarathne, Director of the Europe and North America Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism.

In the second engagement, Mr. Wang Wentao, Minister of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, paid a courtesy call on the Prime Minister to discuss economic collaboration and trade relations between Sri Lanka and China.

The meeting was attended by H.E. Qi Zhenhong, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sri Lanka, and a delegation of senior Chinese government officials. Representing Sri Lanka were Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Dharshana M. Perera, Senior Director General (Bilateral) of the Economic Affairs Division, and Ms. Udani Gunawardena, Director of the East Asia Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment, and Tourism.

Prime Minister’s Media Division