Sri Lanka's NPP government sworn in, new Cabinet takes charge

Colombo: Sri Lanka’s newly elected cabinet of 21 ministers was sworn in on Monday morning before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. Deputy ministers are set to take their oaths at a later date, as announced during the ceremony.

The formation of the cabinet follows Dissanayake’s victory in the September 21 presidential election and the National People's Power (NPP) party’s historic win in the November 14 parliamentary elections. The NPP secured a two-thirds majority in parliament, a first under the proportional representation system.

Harini Amarasuriya retained her role as prime minister in the new government, while Vijitha Herath was reappointed as minister of foreign affairs, foreign employment, and tourism.

Addressing the newly sworn-in ministers, President Dissanayake emphasized the responsibility placed on the government by the public. "People have voted for the NPP twice, in September and November to bring about a change in Sri Lanka’s political and economic trajectory," he said, according to Xinhua News.

Dissanayake highlighted the trust placed in the NPP’s policies and the integrity of its members, noting that the government’s future performance would determine how this trust is judged. He also reaffirmed the party's commitment to protecting and enhancing the rights of all Sri Lankans, irrespective of ethnic or religious differences.

With IANS inputs