Sri Lanka elected to UN Economic Council.

Sri Lanka has been elected to the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for a three-year term starting on January 1, 2025. The election took place at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on June 7, 2024, in New York, where Sri Lanka secured 182 votes out of 189 member states present, making it the second-highest vote recipient in the Asia-Pacific region and the seventh overall. This marks the country’s third time serving on ECOSOC, having previously been a member from 1985–1989 and 2006–2008.

As an ECOSOC member, Sri Lanka will actively engage in global initiatives aimed at poverty eradication, food security, development financing, and international financial reform to aid vulnerable nations. The country will also contribute to discussions on climate justice, gender equality, empowerment of women, disability rights, technological advancements, and bridging the digital divide. Sri Lanka was among 18 countries elected to the 54-member ECOSOC, with others from the Asia-Pacific region including Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, and Saudi Arabia.

This victory is Sri Lanka’s fourth consecutive success in a multilateral election, highlighting its growing diplomatic influence. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with Sri Lanka’s overseas missions and its Permanent Mission to the UN in New York, played a key role in securing this achievement. Established in 1945 as one of the six principal UN organs, ECOSOC serves as the central platform for coordinating economic and social policies, fostering international development, and advancing the Sustainable Development Goals.