UNDP Regional Centre not connected to protest - Official

Rafik Jalaldeen

The UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo did not close due to the protest staged by National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa. It was closed as it had been decided last year to release it at the Regional Centre main functioning office in Bangkok.

A UN official in Colombo told the Daily News that a brief statement of UN Secretary General Ban Ki -Moon mislead the people given the impression that the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo was closed as a result of the NFF leader’s protest.

A statement released at the UN Headquarters in New York by UNSG’s spokesman mentioned that in light of the evolving situation, he is recalling the United Nations Resident Coordinator Neil Buhne to New York for consultations, and that has also decided that the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo will be closed.

“It was a short statement and the UN Secretary General did not mean or intend to say that the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo was closed due to ongoing protest opposite the UN compound. The public misunderstood his statement,” he added.

The UN Official reiterated that the UNDP Regional Office was functioning in Colombo to coordinate development activities in the region. It is not a ‘Country Office’ to pull out from Sri Lanka. In fact, closing the UNDP Regional Centre in Colombo has nothing to do with the protest. It was on the cards few months ago, the offical said.

He said the UNDP Regional Centre was in Kathmandu previously. It was compelled to shift the Centre to Colombo due to security concerns in Kathmandu between 2006 or 2007. It was decided last year to downsize the Regional Centre and move to the main functioning office in Bangkok considering some administrative and financial concerns.

However, he said the UN office in Colombo functions as usual.