A top diplomat who held a number of positions including United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Disarmament Affairs Jayantha Dhanapala passed away while receiving treatment at the Kandy National Hospital.
Mr. Jayantha Dhanapala was at the age of 85 when his demise. The Director of the Kandy National Hospital confirmed that the former diplomat had passed away after suffering a heart attack.
Mr. Dhanapala started his diplomatic carrier from the Sri Lankan diplomatic service and served in London, Beijing, Washington, D.C., New Delhi and Geneva. Dhanapala was appointed Ambassador in Geneva (1984–87). Mr Jayantha also was aassigned to the UN and was appointed Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States of America based in Washington D.C. from 1995-97.
He also held the chair of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review and Extension Conference which was considered as a significant event in the disarmament history.
Ambassador Dhanapala has received numerous international awards for his accomplishments in diplomacy and disarmament. In addition to his new role as Chair of the UNU Council, he serves on the advisory boards of such organizations as the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, the Center for Non-Proliferation Studies, the Monterey Institute of International Studies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. He serves on the governing board of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute and is honorary president of the Geneva-based International Peace Bureau. He has written four books and several articles to international journals.
