Young people around the world are deeply concerned about a lack of job opportunities and are calling for increased investment in that area, according to the latest World Youth Report, issued today by the United Nations. In the aftermath of the economic crisis, the global youth unemployment rate saw its largest annual increase on record [...]

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People, delivered by Maxwell Gaylard, Deputy Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and Coordinator for Humanitarian and Development Activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, in Cairo on 6 February: It is my pleasure to send greetings [...]

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General deeply regrets that the Security Council has been unable to agree on a resolution supported by the League of Arab States to bring an early end to the violence and the killing in Syria. This is a great disappointment [...]

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has commended the Central Bank’s decision to raise the monetary and exchange policy rates and the government’s commitment to reduce the budget deficit. The IMF staff mission visiting the country to review the IMF’s US$ 2.6 billion Stand-By Arrangement approved in July 2009 commended the measures taken by the Sri [...]

Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau, along with the officials of Sri Lanka Port Authority, welcomed the vessel ‘Arcadia’ yesterday (2), at a brief ceremony held in the Colombo harbor. This luxury carrier, owned by the UK based company Carnival PLC, had more than 2100 tourists on board, consisted of the British, Australia, New Zealand and [...]

The Sri Lanka – Vietnam Business Council (SLVBC) of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce will organize a Trade and Investment promotion mission to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam from 4th to 8th March, 2012, states the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce. “It will certainly boost economic ties between Sri Lanka and Vietnam” said Ton [...]

The government is to hold a competitive examination to recruit accountants proficient in Tamil language to serve in the North and East. Acting on a proposal put forward by the President, as the Minister of Finance and Planning, the Cabinet yesterday has approved conducting a special competitive examination for Grade III Vacancies of the Accountants’ [...]

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General wishes to thank his Executive Representative, Michael von der Schulenburg, for his excellent service as the head of the United Nations Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL). Mr. von der Schulenburg, whose appointment is due to expire, will [...]

Local, Regional, International Efforts towards Mitigating Cost also Examined The Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People will convene the United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People, in Cairo, Egypt, at the Sofitel Cairo El Gezirah, on 6 and 7 February. The theme of the Seminar is “The [...]

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon: The Secretary-General is saddened by the death of more than 74 people and the injury of hundreds of others following the outbreak of violence yesterday evening at the end of a football match in the city of Port Said, Egypt. He [...]