Commonwealth pledges support to Sri Lanka's new government

Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, concluding his first visit to Sri Lanka since the appointment of a new government, reiterated the Commonwealth's commitment to work in partnership with Sri Lanka, an official statement said on Tuesday.

Sri Lanka is currently the chair of the Commonwealth and hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the body's top gathering, under former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in November 2013.

However, Rajapaksa was defeated in the Jan. 8 presidential election by his former Cabinet member Maithripala Sirisena.

"Sri Lanka's people have strongly validated their country's democratic credentials and this is a matter of pride as much for the Commonwealth as it is for Sri Lanka," Sharma noted in the statement.

"We look forward to a continued and strong partnership over the remainder of Sri Lanka's term as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office and in the years beyond."

Sharma also briefed the president on his role as Commonwealth Chair-in-Office.

The Commonwealth has also pledged to extend technical support and expertise to a range of reforms initiated by the new government, which includes constitutional amendments to trim the powers of the executive president.

Assistance will also be available to the new government's plans to build a fully independent national human rights commission, electoral commission, judicial services commission, media commission, and an anti-corruption institution.

"We also remain ready to extend Commonwealth support by providing technical assistance to help implement media freedom rights, strengthening the quality and professionalism of state employees and supporting good governance in public finance management," he added.

Sri Lanka will end its Commonwealth chairmanship in 2015. Endi