Fourteen newly appointed foreign diplomats presented their credentials to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the President’s House in Colombo today (June 05).

According to the President’s Media Division (PMD), the group included five newly appointed High Commissioners and nine Ambassadors to Sri Lanka.

A brief ceremony was organized at the Presidential Palace to officially welcome the new High Commissioners and Ambassadors.

Below is the list of the newly appointed foreign diplomats to Sri Lanka;

• Ambassadors-

1. Mr. Omar Castañeda Solares – Ambassador of the Republic of Guatemala based in New Delhi.
2. Mr. Ali Achoui – Ambassador of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria in New Delhi.
3. Ms. Marje Luup – Ambassador of the Republic of Estonia in New Delhi.
4. Mr. Bounmy Vanmany – Ambassador of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic based in New Delhi.
5. Mr. Victor Hugo Echeverri – Ambassador of the Republic of Colombia based in New Delhi.

• High Commissioners-

1. Mr. David Gregory Pine – High Commissioner of the New Zealand based in Colombo.
2. Mr. Semih Lütfü Turgut – Ambassador of the Republic of Türkiye based in Colombo.
3. Mr. Evagoras Vryonides – High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus based in New Delhi.
4. Mr. Kevin Kelly – Ambassador of Ireland based in New Delhi.
5. Mr. Masood Imad – High Commissioner of the Republic of Maldives based in Colombo.
6. Ms. Aliki Koutsomitopoulou – Ambassador of the Hellenic Republic based in New Delhi.
7. Mr. Abu Bakarr Karim – High Commissioner of the Republic of Sierra Leone based in Beijing.
8. Dr. Nikolay Yankov – Ambassador of the Republic of Bulgaria based in New Delhi.
9. Mr. Haymandoyal Dillum – High Commissioner of the Republic of Mauritius based in New Delhi.

Following the acceptance of credentials, President Ranil Wickremesinghe engaged in friendly discussions with the new High Commissioners and Ambassadors.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabri along with President’s Secretary Saman Ekanayake were also present at the occasion.

Senior Advisor to the President on National Security and Chief of Staff to the President Sagala Ratnayaka, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Aruni Wijewardena, and other officials also attended the event.