Britain's Minister for the UN and Commonwealth Baroness Anelay will visit Jaffna this weekend, where she will discuss reconciliation and strategies for tackling sexual and gender-based violence.
Whilst in Jaffna the minister will meet with Chief Minister of the Northern Provincial Council C V Wigneswaran and Governor of the Northern Province Reginald Cooray. In Colombo Baroness Anelay will hold discussions with Sri Lanka's Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and leader of the Tamil National Alliance R Sampanthan.
Baroness Anelay, who is also the UK Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict said "it is a privilege to undertake my first official visit to Sri Lanka at a time of such opportunity for the country to comprehensively address the issues of the past and build lasting peace and reconciliation". "The UK Government remains firmly committed to support the Sri Lankan Government in this endeavour, which will help ensure the future stability and prosperity of the country," she continued.
"I look forward to discussing the progress made on these issues and hearing of the steps taken to tackle sexual and gender-based violence to create an environment where women are able to exercise their free choice over all aspects of their lives, without the threat of violence."