Some of the Sri Lankan envoys politically appointed to various capitals during the time of former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will be replaced once their terms end, Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said.

This will be done as part of the government’s programme to fill the existing vacancies mostly with career diplomats.

According to the Minister, 16 vacancies have occurred and 12 of them will be filled with diplomats from the foreign service.

Sri Lanka’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva C. A. Chandraprema who was appointed at that time will end his term soon. Career diplomat Himali Arunathilake who served in Nepal will be sent to Geneva in his place.

Mr. Sabry told Daily Mirror that Sri Lankan Ambassador in Beijing Dr. Palitha Kohona had been given an extension because his experience mattered at this time. Also, he said the Sri Lankan Ambassador in the United States would not be replaced since he was doing a good job.

The new envoys who will be deployed include two former Foreign Secretaries, Chithranganee Wagiswara (Australia) and Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage (Indonesia). Other Ambassadors and High Commissioners are Manisha Gunasekera (France), H.M.G.R.R.K. Mendis (Bahrain), Dr. A.S.U. Mendis (Vietnam), Varuni Muthukumarana (Germany), Kapila Jayaweera (Lebanon), M.H.M.N. Bandara (Israel), K.K.Theshantha Kumarasiri (Ethiopia), Dr. Chanaka H. Thalpahewa (Philippines), Priyangika Wijegunasekara (Jordan), B. Kandeepan (Kuwait), Udaya Indrarathna (United Arab Emirates) and Sandith Samarasinghe (Consul General- Melbourne).