A United States delegation visited to Institute of Peace Support Operations Training Sri Lanka (IPSOTSL) on Friday (22) September 2023 with the aim to discuss about the Women in peace and security efforts and how upcoming reforms fit within the Sri Lankan Peacekeepers.

The Day’s proceedings were chaired by Brigadier C A Rjapaksha RSP - Commandant IPSOTSL. The visited UN delegation consisted of Ms. Violeta Roman - US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Ms. Valerie Ann Beglay - US Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Lt Col Anthony Nelson - Defense Attaché US Embassy Colombo, Mr. Mathew Hinson - Political Officer, US Embassy Colombo, Capt Caitlin Pennicooke - Foreign Affairs Officer US Embassy Colombo, Mr. Kapila Dissanayake - Security Cooperation Specialist Office of Defense Cooperation.


Initial presentation was conducted by Lt Col G H Amitha RWP RSP psc SF the Chief Instructor of IPSOTSL about the Training Institute and the Sri Lankan contribution for the United Nations as a Troop Contributing Country. Then a fruitful discussion was held with the delegation on Women in peace and security efforts and shared views on increasing United Nations Peacekeeping opportunities giving more emphasis on deploying Contingents, United Nations Military observers and Staff Officers from Sri Lanka Army. Delegation also visited the existing training facilities of the institute and discussed about allocating more sponsorship from Global Peace Operational Initiative (GPOI) for the 2024 training Schedule.

Towards the end of the discussion, the visiting delegates exchanged mementos as tokens of goodwill and long-lasting memory with the Commandant.

Maj P A S Cooray USP SLAGSC, Maj K H D Mendis USP SLAGSC, Maj W P G Kalani SLSC and Lt W L A De Silva SLAGSC and 3 x Other Ranks were also associated wih the discussion.