President Maithripala Sirisena arrived at the John F Kennedy Airport in New York earlier today. He will be taking part in the 71st UN General Assembly meeting at the UN Headquarters.

Sirisena is scheduled to speak at the meeting on Wednesday.

The visit to New York comes in the backdrop of a bombing in Manhattan which injured 29 people. Security has been tightened in the city following the incident and the discovery of a second explosive device at Bronx, another borough of the city.

The 71st UN General Assembly will be the last General Assembly of Ban Ki-moon as the UN Secretary General.