It is the responsibility of ambassadors to convey Sri Lanka’s ongoing political transformation to the international community and to elevate the country’s image on the global stage, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized.
President Dissanayake made these remarks during a meeting held today (15) at the Presidential Secretariat with the newly appointed diplomats assigned to the Foreign Service.
The President invited the newly appointed diplomats to act as stakeholders of the current political transformation and contribute actively in representing Sri Lanka’s new direction on the global stage, the President’s Media Division said.
President Dissanayake also instructed the diplomats to pay special attention to the welfare of Sri Lankans living abroad.
The Head of State emphasized that all citizens must be treated fairly and equally, without any discrimination, when providing consular services, the PMD added.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stressed that Sri Lankan missions abroad should serve as a home for Sri Lankans and urged diplomats to carry out their duties efficiently in service to the nation.
President Dissanayake reiterated that expanding opportunities to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and identifying new market opportunities for entrepreneurs operating in Sri Lanka are also core responsibilities of the diplomatic service.
The Head of State has also stated that inviting foreign investors and tourists to Sri Lanka is a key duty assigned to diplomats in the national effort to revive the economy and assured that the government stands ready to extend its full support to enable them to fulfill this mandate.
He acknowledged that in the past, certain incidents had caused difficulties for Ambassadors and High Commissioners but assured that the current government will not allow any action that undermines the dignity of its diplomats. The President emphasized that the government will always stand in support of its diplomatic representatives whenever necessary.
The group of senior officials with over 20 years of experience in the state diplomatic and public service sectors have been appointed as new heads of Sri Lanka’s diplomatic missions.
Accordingly, the following appointments have been made:
P.M. Kolonne, as the High Commissioner to India
Rear Admiral Fred Senevirathna, as the High Commissioner to Pakistan
S.D.N.U. Senadheera, as the High Commissioner to the United Kingdom
Former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, has been appointed as the Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York.
R.M. Mahinda Ratnayake, as the Ambassador to Cuba
Prof. P. Janak Kumara, as the Ambassador to Japan
Prof. Arusha Cooray as the Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates
Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Ranaraja and Senior Additional Secretary to the President, Roshan Gamage, also participated in the meeting.
