The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that a memorial service will be held for the late French Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Jean-François Pactet.

Issuing a special notice, the Foreign Ministry said the memorial service will be held on Friday (May 31), at St. Mary’s Church in Bambalapitiya.

The Apostolic Nuncio to Sri Lanka Brian Udaigwe will lead the memorial service commencing at 10.00 am.

French Ambassador to Sri Lanka Jean-François Pactet passed away at his residence in Colombo due to a sudden illness on Sunday (May 26).

Born in 1970, Pactet served as Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka and the Maldives since October 2022.

A career diplomat, Jean-François Pactet was previously Deputy Director of Culture and Education at the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Jean-François Pactet has been posted at the French Embassy to the United States in Washington (2012-2016) and at the French Permanent Representation to NATO in Brussels. He was also a Deputy Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.