Sri Lankan Prime Minister says Commonwealth is ‘a really important forum’ in a tense world

Following her first official meeting with Commonwealth Secretary-General Hon Shirley Botchwey at Marlborough House on 21 May 2026, the Prime Minister said that institutions, such as the Commonwealth, build trust and promote understanding during periods of global uncertainty.  She stressed the importance of institutions such as the Commonwealth at a time when multilateralism is under threat, and international law is increasingly being challenged and disregarded.  Prime Minister Amarasuriya said: “This [Commonwealth] is a really important forum where the value of co-operation, the value of collaboration and the value of partnership ... becomes more meaningful.”  She added that the Commonwealth’s diverse membership gives it a unique role in bringing countries together and ensuring that different voices are heard.  “The Commonwealth can provide a space for our voices to be heard in a way that highlights some of these values that are being swept aside - values that are really important for countries such as ours.”  Reflecting on&nb...