Many Countries Congratulate the Prime Minister
Ambassadors from various countries have extended their congratulations to Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on her appointment as the new Prime Minister on October 2, 2024, at the Prime Minister's Office. The Ambassadors and High Commissioners of India, Japan, Britain, the United States, Korea, Bangladesh, and the Maldives were among those who offered their best wishes.
The High Commissioner of India and the Prime Minister participated in Gandhi Jayanthi celebrations, paying floral tributes to the Mahatma Gandhi statue at the Prime Minister’s Office. Following the tribute, the High Commissioner and the Prime Minister held a brief discussion, focusing on strengthening diplomatic relations between the two countries. They also explored entering into Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) for future development projects.
Meanwhile, H.E. Mizukoshi Hideaki, Ambassador of Japan, extended her greetings to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. Their discussions highlighted Sri Lanka’s recent peaceful election and smooth transition of power, and the conversation centered on further strengthening diplomatic ties between Japan and Sri Lanka. They also reviewed the ongoing digitization of Terrestrial Television Broadcasting (DTTB), a project funded by a Japanese loan. Discussions included the resumption of stalled projects supported by Japanese grants and loans, emphasizing the need for transparency in these initiatives to foster investor confidence.
British High Commissioner Andrew Patrick also greeted Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and stressed the importance of maintaining national stability and strengthening the relationship between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom. He reaffirmed Britain’s support for various educational programs in Sri Lanka, including teacher training initiatives. Prime Minister Amarasuriya emphasized the importance of strengthening key institutions and streamlining procedures to advance educational development. Preparations for the upcoming Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) were also discussed.
The Ambassador of the United States to Sri Lanka, Ms. Julie Chung, commended Sri Lanka for conducting a peaceful and democratic election and ensuring a smooth transition of power. In extending her warm congratulations, the Ambassador reaffirmed the United States’ strong commitment to deepening the partnership between the two countries. Their discussion focused on education, women’s empowerment, children’s health, multilingual development programs for native speakers, and addressing domestic and gender-based violence. They also emphasized the importance of establishing economic transparency and accountability in Sri Lanka to attract investment and streamline tax collection systems to improve efficiency.
The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea, Ms. Miyon Lee, extended her greetings to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and discussed enhancing cooperation between the two countries. They emphasized the need for creating a more investor-friendly environment in Sri Lanka, focusing on implementing a single-window process, simplifying procedures, ensuring transparency, and fostering a healthier investment climate.
Andalib Elias, the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka, also extended warm congratulations to Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya. Their meeting primarily focused on current situations in both countries and valuable lessons learned from recent events. Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya highlighted the importance of drawing on past experiences to address present challenges and stressed the role of an independent commission as a cornerstone of good governance.
H.E. Masood Imad, the High Commissioner of the Maldives to Sri Lanka, extended his congratulations to Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya. He addressed visa challenges faced by Maldivian citizens and expressed a desire to expand employment opportunities for Sri Lankans in the Maldives. In response, Prime Minister Dr. Amarasuriya expressed her gratitude for the Maldives’ consistent support.
The Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mr. Pradeep Saputhanthri, and high-level officials representing India, Japan, Britain, the United States, Korea, Bangladesh, and the Maldives participated in these events.
