Prasad Kariyawasam

Prasad Kariyawasam
Born	21 March 1954 Galle Sri Lanka
Nationality	Sri Lankan
Education	Richmond College Galle
Occupation	Diplomat
Known for	Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States[1]
Predecessor	Jaliya Wickramasuriya
Religion	Buddhist

Prasad Kariyawasam is a diplomat in Sri Lanka and the incumbent Sri Lankan Ambassador to the United States.^[1] He was the former Sri Lankan Ambassador to India, Afghanistan and Bhutan^[2][3]

Early life

Kariyawasam was born on 21 March 1954 in Galle, southern Sri Lanka.^[4] He was educated at Richmond College Galle and he captained the college Cricket team in 1972.^[5] Also he skippered the Southern Province Schools cricket team and played for All Ceylon Schools Combined team. During his school cricket career, Prasad Kariyawasam scored five centuries. Kariyawasam was also a Queen's Boy Scout and was the Scout Troop leader at Richmond in 1968. He had represented Sri Lanka at the 9th Australian Scout Jamboree held in Sydney in 1969. He entered the University of Peradeniya and obtained a Bachelor of Science (Hons) Special Degree in Mathematics in 1978.^[6] In University he was elected President of the Science Students' Union in 1977. Also, he was also elected President of the University Sport Council in 1978 and Treasurer of the All University Students' Council in 1977. At university he played cricket and captained the University cricket team in 1977–78, in Division I, Sara trophy. He was awarded the Most Outstanding University Sportsmen of the Year, in 1978. While playing for the university, in 1978, Kariyawasam was selected to represent the Sri Lanka Board President's XI against the visiting Derrick Robins XI. In that match, Kariyawasam had figures of 3 for 22, including the prize wicket of David Gower, who went on to captain England.^[7] Kariyawasam is married and has two children.

Diplomatic career

Kariyawasam joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1981 and has served as a diplomat in Geneva twice (1983–1987, 2001–2004), Riyadh (1989–1992), Washington (1995–1998), New Delhi twice (1998–2001, 2009)^[8] and New York (2005–2008). In his previous assignment in New Delhi, he served as the Deputy High Commissioner. In Geneva, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, while holding the positions of the Consul General of Sri Lanka to Switzerland, Personal Representative of the Head of State of Sri Lanka to the G-15 and concurrently accredited Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Holy Sea.^[9] In New York, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and was concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Jamaica and The Bahamas, as well as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Chile and Colombia. He also held the position of Director General of the Economic Affairs Division and served as an Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.^[10]

Appointments

• Alternate Representative of Sri Lanka at the 53rd, 54th and 55th Sessions of the UN Commission for Human Rights (CHR) held in Geneva.^[4]

• At the World Conference against Racism held in Durban in 2001, he was elected Vice-Chair of the Main Committee.^[11]

• He was the elected chairperson of United Nations Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, 2003–2008.^[4][12]

• Elected Chair of the 2004 Sessions of the Chairpersons of Human Rights Treaty Bodies and Inter Committee Meetings.^[4]

• Chairperson of the United Nations Special Committee Investigating Israel Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestine People and other Arabs in the Occupied Territories 2005–2008.

• Member of the United Nations Panel of Experts on Small Arms, which produced a report on the subject to the UN General Assembly, in 1997.^[4]

• Represented the UN Group of Government Experts on the Relationship between Disarmament and Development, in 2004.^[13]

• Presided over the UN Conference to Review the Progress in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate Illicit Trade in Small and Light Weapons in all its aspects. New York July 2006.^[14]

• Vice-Chairperson of the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations in 2006.^[15]

• Vice-President of the UN General Assembly for the years 2007–2008.^[16]

• President of the Council of the International Organization for Migration in 2001–2002 at its 50th anniversary session.^[17]

• Represented Sri Lanka at the annual session of the World Economic Forum held in Davos in 2002.

• Represented the Advisory Board of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.^[18]

• Leader of Sri Lankan delegation in Ministerial Conference of the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia (RIMES).^[19]

See also

List of heads of missions from Sri Lanka

References

1. http://www.ft.lk/2014/07/16/new-lankan-envoy-to-us-presents-credentials-to-obama/
2. "H.E. Mr Prasad Kariyawasam". Newdelhi.mission.gov.lk. 8 April 2010. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
3. "Sri Lankan envoy Prasad Kariyawasam sorry for MP slur : North, News – India Today". Indiatoday.intoday.in. 16 March 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
4. "United Nations Small Arms Review Conference 2006". Un.org. 21 March 1954. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
5. "The Island". Island.lk. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
6. "The Island-Features". Island.lk. 21 March 1954. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
7. "Prasad Kariyawasam | Sri Lanka Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials". ESPN Cricinfo. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
8. Special Correspondent (16 March 2012). "News / National : I was misquoted: Sri Lankan envoy". The Hindu. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
9. "Ambassador Prasad Kariyawasam calls on UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon". Slmission.com. 17 July 2008. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
10. "United Nations Small Arms Review Conference 2006". Un.org. 21 March 1954. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
11. "0221543E" (PDF). Retrieved 28 September 2012.
12. "DisplayNews". Ohchr.org. Retrieved 21 September 2012.
13. "The Geneva Forum" (PDF). Unidir.org. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
14. "Programme of Action – Implementation Support System". Poa-iss.org. 20 July 2001. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
15. "Opening Statement by Prasad Kariyawasam, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations" (PDF). Un.org. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
16. "New Communications Head Thanks Information Committee Members For Confidence Expressed in Department, 'As It Strives To Tell The Un Story'". Un.org. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
17. "IOM – Towards Policy Coherence (2005)". Iom.int. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
18. "Advisory Board – International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament". Icnnd.org. Retrieved 7 September 2012.
19. "High Commissioner Prasad Kariyawasam leads Sri Lanka delegation to the First Ministerial Meeting of RIMES". Asian Tribune. Retrieved 7 September 2012.