Sri Lanka elected to United Nations Economic and Social Council

Colombo, June 08 (Daily Mirror)- The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has elected Sri Lanka into its Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), with 182 out of 189 members present voting in favour, the Foreign Affairs Ministry said today. 

Sri Lanka obtained the second highest number of votes from the region, and seventh highest overall, and will begin its three-year term in the council on January 1, 2025. 

“As a member of the ECOSOC, Sri Lanka will contribute to the Council’s efforts and programmes, which include eradication of poverty, food security, financing for development, reform of the international financial architecture to better support vulnerable countries, climate justice, gender equality and women’s empowerment, rights of persons with disabilities, science and technology, and bridging the digital divide,” the Foreign Affairs Ministry said in a media release. 

18 countries were elected to the 54-member council, when the vote took place on Friday. 

Sri Lanka been elected to the council on two previous occasions, from 1985-1989 and from 2006-2008.
 
ECOSOC was established in 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations, and is one of six principle organs of the UN and serves as the central platform within the UN system to coordinate the economic and social fields, advance international cooperation and development as well as matters relating to the Sustainable Development Goals.