Sri Lanka Misses UN Research Vessel Visit amid Approval Delays
- CNL Reporter
- June 28, 2025
- News
- Sri Lanka
- 0 Comments
Sri Lanka has reportedly missed a key marine research opportunity due to delays in granting approval for a UN-flagged vessel, “Dr Fridtjof Nansen,” Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath confirmed. Although President Anura Kumara Dissanayake eventually granted special approval following repeated UN requests, official procedures were not completed in time.
According to sources from the Foreign and Fisheries Ministries, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) informed Sri Lanka that the vessel would not visit as scheduled due to the country’s failure to finalize standard operating procedures (SOPs) for foreign research vessels.
The state-of-the-art ship was originally set to conduct vital studies on fish stocks and marine ecosystems in Sri Lankan waters from July 15 to August 20. The UN has now reassigned the mission to Madagascar.
While Minister Herath stated that the government has not been officially notified of the cancellation, UN sources confirmed the decision and the reassignment of the research.
