26 January 2018 | UN Compound,
Colombo, Sri Lanka
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| Ms. Lovita Ramguttee |
Prof. Gamini Keerawella,
Executive Director, Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS) met with Ms. Lovita
Ramguttee, Deputy Country Director (Programmes and Operations), United Nations
Development Programme, Sri Lanka to discuss future collaboration between the
two organizations. Ms. Lovita Ramguttee expressed interest to know RCSS future
work plan to identify possibilities of collaboration in the broader areas of
youth empowerment and governance parallel to the next five year plan of UNDP
Sri Lanka.
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| Prof. Gamini Keerawella |
In that light Prof. Gamini
Keerawella highlighted the capacity of RCSS as an independent regional
organization in South Asia to implement projects that are inclusive of other
countries of the South Asia region. He further elaborated on RCSS as an
organization which focuses on Research, Advocacy and Networking, that will
complement the future collaboration between the two organizations. He discussed
the evolving strategic contours in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) which enables
broader cooperation in the organizations working on different priorities with
the countries in IOR. He highlighted the possibility of promoting civic space
in Sri Lanka and beyond with a common regional approach.
In terms of furthering
the cooperation between RCSS and UNDP Sri Lanka, Prof. Keerawella indicated
that the partnership built between UNDP and RCSS during “Future Policing”
Conference in 2016, can be broaden if collaboration is possible on programmes
related to reconciliation and conflict transformation in Sri Lanka, if a
regional dialogue can be created around peace building in Sri Lanka and the
other countries of South Asia region. Ms. Lovita Ramguttee indicated the possibility
of working together on the areas of youth and women under the youth empowerment
programme of UNDP and the National Youth Service Council of Sri Lanka. Prof.
Keerawella expressed interest to contribute to empower youth in terms of
preparing youth for future leadership in political, economic and social
spheres.
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