Ambassador and Permanent Representative Dayani Mendis presents Letters of Credence to Director General of the United Nations Office in Vienna

Dayani Mendis, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka, presented her Letters of Credence to Monica Juma, Director-General of the United Nations Office at Vienna and Executive Director of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), at the Vienna International Centre on 30 June 2026.

The Director-General was accompanied by Ekaterina Kolykhalova of the Regional Section for South Asia, East Asia and the Pacific, Division for Operations, and Kyo Park from the Office of the Director General. The Ambassador was accompanied by Minister Counsellor Mahesh Gunawardene and Counsellor Neetha Chandrasena.

Presenting her credentials, Ambassador Mendis conveyed warm greetings and best wishes from Anura Kumara Dissanayake and reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening cooperation and engagement with UN agencies in Vienna. She also congratulated Director-General Juma on her appointment to the position on 13 May 2026.

The Ambassador highlighted Sri Lanka’s longstanding relationship with the United Nations, noting its membership since 1955 and the milestone of completing 70 years in 2025. She emphasized Sri Lanka’s continued collaboration with UN agencies, particularly the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, which remains a key partner in addressing national priorities such as combating corruption, drug abuse, and crime, as well as strengthening the rule of law.

Welcoming the Ambassador, Director-General Juma recalled her previous positive engagements with Sri Lanka and expressed confidence in the country’s continued multilateral cooperation with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. She underscored that success should ultimately be measured through tangible outcomes—safer communities, stronger protections, and greater prosperity.