‘May citizenship be a source of pride for all’

Following the election victory, the new president’s priorities include negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and a commitment to building a country that “embraces diversity.” Following the swearing-in of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, Parliament was dissolved and elections were called for November 14.

Colombo () – The plans to negotiate the criteria imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the commitment to respect diversity – of ethnicities, religions, classes and castes – in the country, and the need to recompose Parliament (where the JVP, Dissanayake’s party, had only three seats), are the main issues that Anura Kumara Dissanayake addressed in his inaugural speech as Sri Lanka’s ninth president. Leader of the left-wing National People’s Power (NPP) coalition, he was sworn in on Monday following his victory in the weekend’s presidential election. He surpassed 38 candidates, obtaining more than 5.6 million votes, that is, 42.3% of the total. On Tuesday, September 24, the new prime minister, MP Harini Amarasuriya, was also sworn in, while the nine governors and the new cabinet did so the following day.

In her speech, Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed her deep gratitude to the citizens of Sri Lanka. “Let us unite to create a prosperous country that embraces diversity,” he urged. “Our goal is to build a country in which citizenship is a source of pride for everyone.” Speaking to a diverse audience, including the Maha Sangha and other religious leaders, he dedicated his victory to all citizens. “We honor and remember the brave men and women of previous generations who sacrificed,” he said, recognizing the historic sacrifices that paved the way for the present. He then stated that the current administration is ready to assume responsibility thinking of the nation as a united team, determined to meet the expectations of the people. During the election campaign he had stated that he would open an investigation into the 2019 Easter attacks, precisely to clarify the government’s responsibilities.

Regarding immediate plans to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), he stated that the objective is to stabilize the economy and advance efforts to address the debt. Then, determined to eliminate the negative aspects of political practice, Dissanayake highlighted the peaceful conduct of the recent presidential elections as a testimony of the trust placed in his administration. He also urged all citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religion, to unite under the Sri Lankan flag, promising reforms for an inclusive environment. He spoke about the importance of national identity, proposing a Sri Lanka where every citizen takes pride in his citizenship and said: “Our goal is to build a country where citizenship is a source of pride for all.”

He concluded his speech by underlining the need for a Parliament that faithfully reflects the will of the people and announced the dissolution of the current Parliament as of midnight on Tuesday the 24th, to be followed by elections, and the appointment of a cabinet in accordance with constitutional guidelines. The convocation of the new Parliament will be made on November 21, 2024 and November 14, 2024 was set as the date for the election of the new parliamentarians. The period to present the candidatures will extend from October 4 to 12:00 p.m. on October 11, 2024.