Clinton to return to RI, Sri Lanka

Clinton to return to RI, Sri Lanka

UNITED NATIONS: Former U.S. president Bill Clinton plans to return to Sri Lanka and Indonesia in his role as UN special envoy for tsunami relief to assess recovery efforts since last December's deadly earthquake and tsunami, his office said on Thursday.

Clinton will visit the Sri Lanka capital Colombo on Nov. 29 and the Indonesian province of Aceh the following day, it added in a statement.

It will be Clinton's second trip to the region as UN special envoy for tsunami recovery. He visited Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives last May.

The former U.S. leader will then travel to Brussels on Dec. 1 to report back to the European Commission, discuss ongoing needs in the recovery efforts and coordination between the European Commission and other key players.

In both Sri Lanka and Indonesia, Clinton will meet with all concerned parties, including the government, civil society, affected communities, UN officials, donors and members of the private sector to assess the current status of the recovery effort and address existing challenges. -- AFP