Sri Lanka has reiterated that the study on the origin tracing of SARS-Co-V-2 should be based on scientific and evidence-based methods and should not be politicized.

The Foreign Ministry said that the next phase of the study should reflect the key findings of the previous WHO-led joint study report.

It said in a statement that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused severe disruptions to the health, safety, and livelihoods of people around the world and therefore, multilateralism and international cooperation provide the best possible means to effectively and sustainably defeat the pandemic.

"It is equally important to conduct a comprehensive, inclusive, and impartial study on the origin of the virus.Sri Lanka notes the leading role played by the World Health Organization (WHO) in this regard and the contents of the joint report of the WHO–convened Global Study released in March 2021, the Ministry said.

The Ministry said Sri Lanka will continue to constructively engage with all international partners to find amicable and comprehensive solutions to unresolved issues in this regard.