Sri Lanka High Commission in Ottawa

A Petition was tabled at the Ontario Legislative Assembly (OLA) on 17 June 2020 by Hon. John Fraser, MPP representing Ottawa South to mark April as the Sri Lankan heritage month. This was made possible due to the tireless efforts by Sri Lankan associations in Canada, especially the Sri Lanka Canada Association of Ottawa (SLACO), which was in the forefront of this effort.

Comprehensive measures taken by the Ministry of Foreign Relations, in close coordination with the key Government Economic Agencies and the private sector to address and mitigate the impact of COVID 19 particularly on Sri Lankan exports, has helped in sustaining and regaining lost markets for traditional Sri Lankan exports, while enabling new opportunities. Exportswhich accounted for US $ 277 Million in April 2020, had increased to US $606 Million in May, and is expected to grow in the coming months, in line with the revised projections.

This observation was made by the Foreign Ministry’s Additional Secretary/Economic Affairs P.M. Amza, during an interview on Ada Derana on 10 June 2020, held to discuss the economic impact of COVID-19, and its demands and challenges for Sri Lanka.

The Additional Secretary said, since the outbreak of the COVID-19, the Ministry’s ‘Economic Diplomacy Programme’ has been playing a pivotal catalyst role, in partnership with Agencies such as the Export Development Board and the Tea Board, in facilitating Sri Lankan exporters to overcome the adverse impact of COVID 19. Despite the challenging circumstances, including disruptions to the global supply chains and logistics, the proactive stance of the Ministry and Missions abroad has seen the emergence of new market destinations as well as opportunity to regain the markets for Traditional Sri Lankan exports such as Tea, Rubber and fresh/processed food. As a result of the evolving global COVID 19 situation, Sri Lanka has also been able to target new products and markets particularly for Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) and rubber based products (Face masks – 12 markets, protective gowns – 17 markets, Rubber Gloves – 12, Hand sanitizers – 12). Interventions made by the Ministry saw 344 MT and 220 MT of Ceylon Tea exported to Turkey and Egypt and 30 MTof frozen food to Oman, under challenging circumstances.

The Foreign Ministry, following careful consideration, has taken a decision to temporarily close three of its Missions / Posts overseas, i.e., the Sri Lanka High Commission in Abuja, Nigeria; the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Frankfurt, Germany; and the Consulate General of Sri Lanka in Nicosia, Cyprus; with effect from 31 December 2021.  The decision, which has received the approval of the Cabinet of Ministers, is part of a restructuring process of Sri Lanka’s network of Missions and Posts overseas carried out by the Foreign Ministry.  The restructuring is undertaken with a view to conserving the country’s much needed foreign reserves and minimising expenditure related to maintenance of Sri Lanka’s Missions / Posts overseas, while ensuring the effective conduct of bilateral relations, in the backdrop of the grave economic challenges posed by the global pandemic.

Upon closure of the three identified Missions / Posts, their functions, including maintenance of bilateral political, economic, cultural relations as well as consular functions as relevant, will come under the purview of accredited, and in the case of Abuja and Nicosia, non-resident High Commissions / Embassies of Sri Lanka.  In this regard, action is in process to concurrently accredit Nigeria through Sri Lanka’s High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya; and the other countries in Africa concurrently accredited through the Sri Lankan Mission in Abuja, through Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Cairo, Egypt and High Commission in Nairobi, respectively.  The functions of Sri Lanka’s Consulate General in Frankfurt, including trade, investment and tourism promotion, as well as consular matters of Sri Lankan nationals living and working in and around Frankfurt, will come under the purview of Sri Lanka’s Embassy in Berlin, Germany.

The concurrent accreditation of Cyprus through the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome, Italy will continue, with the latter handling Sri Lanka’s bilateral relations with Cyprus as per current practice.  The consular functions handled by the Consulate General in Nicosia will be brought under the purview of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome.  However, considering the significant consular and welfare requirements of the approximately 6,000-strong Sri Lankan employee community living and working in Cyprus, which need to be addressed on a regular basis, action is being taken by the Foreign Ministry to appoint forthwith a suitably qualified Honorary Consul based in Nicosia.  The Honorary Consul thus appointed will function under the direction of the Sri Lanka Embassy in Rome and the Foreign Ministry, in close coordination with the State Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotions & Market Diversification and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment.  The Foreign Ministry will closely monitor the transition process in Cyprus in order to address issues, if any, and provide further solutions if deemed relevant and necessary in the foreseeable future.

Notwithstanding cost-cutting measures, the Foreign Ministry continues to attach highest priority to maintenance of bilateral relations with all countries at optimum level, to meet the foreign policy objectives of the Government with special focus on economic diplomacy, which entails the promotion of exports, foreign direct investment, tourism and foreign employment generation.  The Ministry pays high attention to its mandate of safeguarding the welfare and effective functioning of Sri Lankan employees overseas with due regard to their direct and significant contribution to the nation’s economy in terms of foreign remittances.  A continuous evaluation of Mission / Post requirements vis-à-vis achievement of targets is being undertaken by the Foreign Ministry through a consultative process, both internal and external, involving senior representation of the Foreign Ministry and Sri Lanka’s Heads of Mission / Post overseas, as well as relevant line institutions of Government including the Ministries of Finance, Trade and Labour; the State Ministries of Regional Cooperation and Foreign Employment Promotion & Market Diversification; the Department of Commerce, the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, the Board of Investment of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment, among other agencies.  The decision to temporarily close the three identified Missions / Posts is subject to continuous review, and action will be taken in due course to consider re-instatement of relevant resident Missions / Posts as deemed necessary.

Foreign Ministry

Colombo

27 December, 2021

(https://mfa.gov.lk/temporary-closure-sl-missions/)

The Foreign Ministry has dispatched 10,000 kg (2000 packs) of essential items including dry rations, to be distributed through the Sri Lanka High Commission in the Maldives, amongst the Sri Lankan community members in Male and outer Male. This Is an effort to mitigate the many difficulties faced by the most vulnerable, particularly in Greater Male where a red alert has been declared by the Maldivian Government with the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, and access to food items and medicines is limited.

The Sri Lankan Airlines has collaborated with the Foreign Ministry in this cause, through carrying these support kitson a cost free basis on Sunday, 7 June 2020, by a Sri Lankan Airlines cargo flight to the Maldives. These individual support kits, to be provided, each comprise 18 items, which include basic commodities such as instant food packs and sanitary items and also much needed medicines that are commonly used by the community.

Approximately 7000 Sri Lankans are currently seeking repatriation from the Maldives, and of this, almost 2000 are in Greater Male. The Foreign Ministry has already consulted with the Maldivian authorities, who have expressed willingness for PCR tests to be facilitated to Sri Lankans being repatriated on payment, prior to departure.

In most capitals, the Sri Lanka Missions overseas availing of funds provided through a special allocation from the Sri Lanka Government and in collaboration with Sri Lankan Community Associations and local organizations, continue to support migrant communities abroad through the provision of dry rations and medicines. Where possible, they also assist in medical emergencies in their respective locations, while continuing to assist and facilitate in the repatriation process of those seeking to return.

Video Link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sF1WeRYp1pnHbq7bbhIRgkknbStrsYKc/view?usp=sharing