The US Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Biswal said on Monday that while Sri Lanka is on a path to reconciliation, much remains to be done on justice and accountability.
Speaking on US policies and priorities for 2016 at the Center for New American Security , Ms Biswal said Sri Lanka is on a path to reconciliation.
"Sri Lanka, which is rebalancing its own foreign and economic policy as it emerges from its self-imposed isolation, will benefit from its strategic location as a maritime gateway to some of the largest markets in Asia [...],"
"[It] deserves special attention as it continues to consolidate democratic gains in the past two elections and put the country on a path to reconciliation. The United States was among the first to welcome these moves and offer our support and assistance. Both Secretary Kerry and Ambassador Power visited last year – and I myself visited four times in 2015 – and this year we launched our first-ever Partnership Dialogue,"
"While there is still much to be done to pursue justice, strengthen political rights, and establish enduring peace, the current government has shown that it is committed to moving the country forward: among many other moves, it has already returned over 3,400 acres to displaced families, including another 177 acres just this past week. USAID has launched several programs to stimulate economic growth and development in the country’s north and east, and U.S. businesses are seeing many new and attractive investment opportunities."
See her full address here.