The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has raised concerns over recent misinformation being circulated pertaining to Foreign Minister Ali Sabry’s recent visits overseas. 

Issuing a statement in this regard, the Ministry clarified that despite recent claims that the Minister spent a substantial amount of public funds during his visits overseas in the recent past, such official visits are being undertaken to represent Sri Lanka at important multilateral, regional and bilateral engagements overseas. 

They further emphasised the need for the Minister to attend these engagements, considering their importance and also the expected level of participation, adding that it is the practice, and essential, for substantive reasons that senior officials of the Ministry and other line agencies accompany the Foreign Minster to said engagements as appropriate, considering the requirement of the expertise of such officials in such matters. 

Speaking on the expenditure during these visits, the Ministry noted that expenses in this regard are being curtailed to the maximum extent possible, and that only essential expenses are authorised in keeping with the new Treasury circulars and guidelines. 

“Therefore, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to emphasize that the Foreign Minister by virtue of his appointment/high office is required to undertake foreign travel for official purposes in the context of the Foreign Ministry’s and the government’s engagement with its international partners, and to represent Sri Lanka in fulfilling the country’s domestic and international obligations. As clearly evidenced in the recent past, many immediate and long-term advantages accrue to Sri Lanka from these high-level person-to-person discussions with the Foreign Minister’s counterparts and other foreign dignitaries”, the statement issued by the Ministry emphasised.