Foreign Minister Dinesh Gunawardena led the Sri Lankan delegation to the informal meeting of the Council of Ministers of the eight-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) on 24 September 2020.

The annual event, which traditionally takes place on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, was convened in virtual mode this year amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the informal meeting, Minister Gunawardena underlined the need for coordinated and collaborative action to mitigate the adverse impact of the Covid 19 pandemic, as the United Nations forecasts South Asian economies to contract by 4.8% this year. He also pointed out the importance of reviewing South Asia’s economic outlook, finding employment for impacted workforce, revitalizing businesses, while increasing production.

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