31 July 2023 11:49 am Views - 2526
The Norwegian Embassy in Colombo permanently closed down today as part of Norway's decision to make structural changes in its network of diplomatic missions abroad.
The Embassy announced earlier that from August 1, the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi will be responsible for Norway's bilateral relationships with Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
The embassy said in a Facebook post on Monday July 24 that the mission’s Facebook page will also be closed on July 31.
“We invite you to follow the page of the Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi for more updates on our ongoing cooperation with India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives,” it said.
It further said that the embassy in New Delhi will now be the mission responsible for Norway in India, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, headed by the Norwegian Ambassador to India.
In September, 2022, the embassy said that Government of Norway has decided to make structural changes in its network of diplomatic missions abroad.
“As part of these reforms, it has also been decided to permanently close five Norwegian diplomatic missions abroad, including the Norwegian Embassy in Colombo, by the end of July 2023.”
The decision to close the Embassy in Colombo does not have any bearing on the bilateral relationship between Norway and Sri Lanka, the earlier statement added.