Sharma meets the President of Sri Lanka

The two had wide-ranging discussions on economic and political developments in Sri Lanka. The talks also covered areas in which the Commonwealth’s support could be provided including constitutional reform, local government and elections, criminal justice, public sector reform, and implementation of the National Action Plan on Human Rights.

At the half-way point between the last Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Port of Spain, November 2009) and the next (Perth, October 2011), the Secretary-General and President also discussed ongoing Commonwealth work that had been requested by the leaders at their last summit, including progress by an Eminent Persons Group examining options to strengthen the Commonwealth’s impact, networks and profile, as well as a review of the role of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in protecting the Commonwealth’s political values including democracy, constitutional government, the rule of law and human rights.

Sri Lanka is scheduled to host the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in 2013.