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Saturday, 03 November 2018 09:16 |
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Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, Dr Sarath Amunugama, stated that there have been no incidents of violence or disruption in the country following the recent developments and hence there was no justification for the Travel Advisories issued by a few countries. He has further noted that the peaceful environment continues to prevail in the country and tourists are enjoying uninterrupted access to tourist sites and facilities throughout the Island.
Media Release issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in regard to this is given below;
Media Release
Foreign Minister Amunugama says "no justification for thechanging Travel Advisories"
Foreign Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama, said that there was no justification for the Travel Advisories issued by a few countries, since there have been no incidents of violence or disruption in the country following the recent events. The Tourism sector has not been subject to any inconvenience.
The Minister made these observations when he met with the leading inbound tour operators, Senior Officials of Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau (SLTPB), representatives of the Sri Lankan Airlines and other leading foreign carriers to discuss the Travel Advisories issued recently. He said that the Government was fully committed to safeguarding and improving of the tourism industry.
Industry leaders briefed the Minister that in addition to regular flights, TUI , one of the world’s leading tour operators, is now scheduled to operate 03 Charter Flights to Colombo on a weekly basis while the TUI Cruise Liner is also scheduled to use Sri Lanka as a Port of Call in the high season. The industry leaders also informed that Aeroflot has announced nonstop direct flights from Moscow to Colombo from 28 October 2018 and SWISS will resume its direct flights Zurich – Colombo from 04 November 2018. Meanwhile Lonely Planet, one of the leading international travel guide publishers, has recently named Sri Lanka as the world’s top destination. It was noted that presently there are around 4000 cricket fans from the UK in Sri Lanka to follow the English cricket team’s current tour. This was testimony to the peaceful environment prevailing in the country and tourists are enjoying uninterrupted access to tourist sites and facilities throughout the Island.
The Minister also informed that since the assumption of his present portfolio he has instructed all Heads of Sri Lanka Missions overseas to personally make representation to the authorities concerned in their countries of accreditation in order to remove the Travel Advisories, to be in keeping with the ground realities in Sri Lanka. They will also maintain regular interaction with the leading Travel Agents/ Outbound Tour Operators in their respective capitals to brief them on the peaceful situation prevailing in the island with a view to promoting arrivals. The Minister said that he planned to make Tourism Promotion a main aspect of the Foreign Ministry’s work programme.
Foreign Secretary Ravinatha Aryasinha and Senior Officials of the Ministry were present at the meeting.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
02 November 2018 |
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Friday, 02 November 2018 13:26 |
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High Commissioner Austin Fernando assumed duties on 2nd November 2018 as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
Austin Fernando was educated at Richmond College, Galle. He completed B. A. degree from the University of Ceylon, Peradeniya and later earned an M.B.A. degree from the University of Sri Jayewardenepura.
Austin Fernando joined Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) in 1963 and served in various capacities in the public sector and held positions as Government Agent for Polonnaruwa District and Nuwara Eliya District, Commissioner of Cooperative Development and Postmaster General, Secretary at Ministry of Rehabilitation and Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Indigenous Medicine and Defence. He was the Governor of the Eastern Province since 2015. He has also held consultative positions at the United Nations and similar institutions at various points of his illustrious career.
Prior to his assignment as the High Commissioner to India, he was the Secretary to the President of Sri Lanka since 2017.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
New Delhi
02nd November 2018
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Thursday, 01 November 2018 10:49 |
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Foreign Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama met the Ambassadors and High Commissioners of SAARC countries and their representatives at his office today (31). Heads of Mission and their representatives of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Maldives and Pakistan were present on this occasion to discuss matters of mutual interest. The Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Ravinatha Aryasinha was also present at this meeting.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
31 October 2018 |
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Thursday, 01 November 2018 10:44 |
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Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Sarath Amunugama hosted a lunch on 30 October 2018, soon after assuming duties at the Ministry, for the Founder President of the Kalinga Lanka Foundation and former Foreign Secretary of India, Ambassador Lalit Mansingh and a high level delegation, which included Mr. Rajeev Kher, Distinguished Fellow of the Research and Information System for Developing Countries and former Commerce Secretary of India; Retired Ambassador Mr. Anup Mudgal and Professor S.D. Muni, Professor Emeritus of Jawaharlal Nehru University, Distinguished Fellow of IDSA and former Ambassador and Special Envoy.
The Minister stressed that Sri Lanka’s Foreign Policy stresses good relations with all countries, in particular countries in Sri Lanka’s own neighbourhood.
The Kalinga Lanka Foundation is a socio-cultural organization founded by like-minded people from Orissa and Sri Lanka to celebrate the common heritage and strengthen the historical relationship between the peoples of India with particular reference to Orissa, the former Kalinga and peoples of Sri Lanka through multi-dimensional initiatives in art and culture, education, skill development, science and technology, tourism, business and other areas.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
31 October 2018
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Thursday, 01 November 2018 10:37 |
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Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, assumed duties as the Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today (31) having being appointed to the position by President Maithripala Sirisena.
The new Foreign Secretary Aryasinha was warmly received by his colleagues this morning, upon arrival at the Ministry.
Ambassador Aryasinha was previously Additional Secretary/ Economic Affairs and Trade in the Foreign Ministry since April 2018.
Having joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1988, he was Second Secretary in New Delhi (1989-1991) and Minister and later Deputy Chief of Mission with Ambassador rank in Washington D.C. (2002-2006). He served as Ambassador to Belgium, Luxembourg and to the European Union from April 2008-June 2012, and as Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva and Consul General of Sri Lanka to Switzerland (July 2012-March 2018), while being concurrently Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the Holy See. Between 1995-2000 and again in 2007-2008 he headed the Public Communications Division and was the Foreign Ministry Spokesman.
On leave from the Foreign Service, in 1993-1995 he served as National Information Officer in the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sri Lanka. Prior to joining the Sri Lanka Foreign Service, he was a pioneer in the setting up of Rupavahini, the National Television Network of Sri Lanka, where he served as a Senior Political Correspondent/ News Editor from 1982-1988.
Foreign Secretary Aryasinha is a past student of Ananda College, Colombo. He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Peradeniya and a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from the University of Colombo. He was a 'Hurst Fellow' in International Relations at the School of International Service (SIS), American University, Washington DC in 2001-2002.
Ambassador Aryasinha is married and has three children.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Colombo
31 October 2018
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