President appoints High Commissioner and four ambassadors

7 January 2025 12:44 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 23 Bookmark

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Colombo, Jan 07 (Daily Mirror) - President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a High Commissioner and four Ambassadors to represent Sri Lanka in its diplomatic service.

The appointments include W. G. S. Prasanna as High Commissioner-designate to New Zealand, R. S. Khan Azard as Ambassador-designate to Qatar, S. K. Gunasekera as Ambassador-designate to Russia, L. P. Ratnayaka as Ambassador-designate to Kuwait, and A. S. K. Seneviratne as Ambassador-designate to Egypt.

The President formally handed over the official appointments during a ceremony held today (7th) at the Presidential Secretariat, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Following the ceremony, the newly appointed diplomats held a brief discussion with the President.

In his address, President Disanayake expressed confidence in the diplomats’ abilities and underscored the importance of their roles in strengthening Sri Lanka's bilateral relationships and fostering cooperation with the respective nations.

He urged them to prioritize enhancing the country’s international image and advancing its global interests.

The President also emphasized the need for Sri Lanka’s diplomats to ensure the welfare of Sri Lankans working abroad, particularly in regions such as the Middle East, South Korea, and Japan, where a significant number of expatriates are employed. He called for fair and equitable support for these workers, regardless of their location.

Additionally, President Disanayake encouraged the newly appointed diplomats to focus on attracting direct foreign investment and expanding international market opportunities for Sri Lankan entrepreneurs. He assured them of the government’s full backing and announced plans for future discussions to review the progress of these initiatives.

The PMD said that the newly appointed diplomats were selected from career diplomats with over 20 years of experience in the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, recognized for their expertise, potential, and ability to contribute to Sri Lanka’s global engagement and economic development.