Ambassador Thomas Shannon, Counsellor of the US Department of State, is slated to visit Sri Lanka from December 14-16.
He will be accompanied by Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asia Manpreet Singh Anand in Sri Lanka.
Ambassador Shannon is scheduled to meet with senior government and parliamentary leaders, business leaders, and civil society, as well as tour a USAID-funded livelihoods project in the Eastern Province.
The US State Department says that the Ambassador will reaffirm U.S. support for Sri Lanka’s reform agenda and explore greater cooperation in development, security, economic growth, and regional connectivity, during his visit.
Shannon is also expected to visit Bangladesh from December 13-14 with Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Nisha Desai Biswal and Anand.
Soon after his visit to South Asia, he is expected to take charge as the Under Secretary for Political Affairs in the US government.
President Barack Obama nominated him for that position in September.
Once cleared by the senate, he will take charge immediately, since his predecessor Wendy Sherman retired on Oct 2.
