Ambassador Jayasuriya is a distinguished jurist and former Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. He was appointed as the 47th Chief Justice of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in April 2019, following a long and eminent career in public service. Having joined the Attorney General’s Department in 1983, he served in various capacities before being appointed as Attorney General in 2016. He was conferred the title of President’s Counsel in 2012 and holds the distinction of being the sixth Attorney General of Sri Lanka to be appointed as Chief Justice. Ambassador Jayasuriya has extensive experience in international law and multilateral engagement, having served as a Trial Attorney with the International Criminal Tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and for Rwanda. He is a Commonwealth Scholar and holds a Master of Philosophy from the University of Hong Kong, where his research focused on fair trial guarantees under international human rights law.
During the ceremony, Ambassador Jayasuriya conveyed the Government of Sri Lanka’s strong support for the ISA’s work and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to the principles and objectives of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. “As a country that helped shape the very foundations of the law of the sea, Sri Lanka remains firmly committed to supporting the ISA’s mission and to promoting responsible, equitable and sustainable management of the resources of the Area,” he said.
Secretary-General Carvalho welcomed Ambassador Jayasuriya and expressed her appreciation for Sri Lanka’s continued engagement with ISA’s work. “Sri Lanka’s contribution to the evolution of the law of the sea is deeply rooted in the very foundations of the international ocean governance regime,” said Secretary-General Carvalho. “From the leadership of Ambassador Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea to Sri Lanka’s continued advocacy for the sustainable and science-based management of the deep seabed, the country has been a steadfast supporter of the principles that guide our collective stewardship of the common heritage of humankind.”
“Today, as Sri Lanka takes this new step by appointing a Permanent Representative to the ISA, we look forward to deepening our cooperation in advancing responsible ocean governance, strengthening capacity development and ensuring that the benefits derived from the Area are shared equitably and sustainably,” the Secretary-General added.