Environment Minister elected Vienna Convention President

Minister of Environment and Natural Resources Patali Champika Ranawaka has been elected unanimously as the president of the 8th conference of parties to the Vienna Convention for the next three years.

Delegates from 193 member countries who attended the conference from November 16-20 in Doha Qatar considered a decision on a range of issues relating to the status of the general trust fund for financing activities, research and systematic observations relevant to the Vienna Convention, replenishment of the multilateral fund for the implementation of Montreal Protocol, environmentally sound disposal of ozone depleting substances issues related to application of trade provisions for hydrochlorofluoro- carbons.

The Minister was honoured by the international community for the initiatives taken by him specially for the protection of ozone layer and environment of Sri Lanka in general. The vice presidency of the Conference went to Canada.