UN's Neil Buhne back in Colombo

UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Sri Lanka, Neil Buhne, will conclude his visit to New York this week and return to Colombo.

Associate spokesperson for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Farhan Haq revealed this during the media briefing at the UN Headquarters in New York on Friday.

"It is important to continue UN efforts to assist the people of Sri Lanka, particularly with regard to reconstruction and rehabilitation in the North," he said.

The spokesman added that functioning of UN operations in Sri Lanka will require positive cooperation and that Buhne will convey the progress on the range of commitments covered in the Joint Statement of May 2009 including resettlement of internally displaced persons, political reconciliation and accountability.

Asked as to why Buhne was returning to Sri Lanka after being recalled last week, Haq noted the changing circumstances in the country, which had allowed UN staff to return to work.