Categories: HeadlinesPolitics

Prasad Kariyawasam appointed as new Foreign Secretary

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the USA, Prasad Kariyawasam, has been appointed as the new Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He will take over from Mr. Esala Weerakoon, who has been appointed as Secretary to the Ministry of Tourism Development.

Kariyawasam, a longtime member of his country’s Foreign Service, took over as Sri Lanka’s ambassador to the United States on June 23, 2014.

He is also the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka to Trinidad & Tobago and Ambassador (designate) to Mexico.

Having joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service in 1981, he has held diplomatic assignments in Geneva (1983-1987), Riyadh (1989-1992), Washington (1995-1998), New Delhi (1998-2001), Geneva (2001-2004), New York (2005-2008) and New Delhi (2009 – 2014).

In his assignment as the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka to India in Delhi he was concurrently accredited as the Ambassador for Sri Lanka to Bhutan and Afghanistan.

From 1998 to 2001 he served as the Deputy High Commissioner for Sri Lanka in India, holding the rank of an Ambassador.

In Geneva, from 2001 to 2004 he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations, while also holding the positions of Consul General of Sri Lanka to Switzerland, Personal Representative of the Head of State of Sri Lanka to the G-15 and concurrently accredited Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Holy See in the Vatican.

In recognition as the envoy of Sri Lanka to Vatican His Holiness Pope John Paul II bestowed the insignia of the “Grand-Cross of the order of Saint Gregory the Great” to Ambassador Kariyawasam.

In New York, he served as Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations and was concurrently accredited as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Jamaica and The Bahamas, as well as Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Chile and Colombia.

AddThis Website Tools
Lankanewspapers

Recent Posts

LNP – Sri Lanka’s FDI records 90% increase in first quarter 2025

LNP – Sri Lanka’s FDI records 90% increase in first quarter 2025

The Board of Investment (BOI) of Sri Lanka has successfully increased Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)…

2 days ago
LNP – Sri Lanka deports 85 Chinese nationals over criminal activities

LNP – Sri Lanka deports 85 Chinese nationals over criminal activities

A total of 85 Chinese nationals convicted for various crimes, including cyber-related offences, were deported…

3 days ago
LNP – Think twice before buying EVs: Vehicle importers

LNP – Think twice before buying EVs: Vehicle importers

The Vehicle Importers Association of Lanka (VIAL) has urged the public to carefully consider their…

3 days ago

LNP – MR, Maithri, Ranil, Basil, others involved in USD 110 million cattle import scam: MP

Former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Ranil Wickremesinghe, former Ministers Basil Rajapaksa, P. Harrison, Wijith…

3 days ago

LNP – Keheliya’s two more daughters, son-in-law arrested

Two more daughters of former Minister Keheliya Rambukwella, Chamithri Jayanika Rambukwella and Amali Nayanika Rambukwella—as…

3 days ago

LNP – World’s most liveable city for 2025 revealed

After a three-year run at the top of the annual list from the Economist Intelligence…

3 days ago