At a ceremony held at the Orbeliani Palace in Tbilisi recently, Ambassador of Sri Lanka, Hasanthi Urugodawatte Dissanayake presented Credentials to President of Georgia Salome Zourabichvili. Ambassador Dissanayake is resident in Ankara and she was accompanied by Sri Lanka’s Hony. Consul to Georgia Nino Makhviladze.
After the presentation of Credentials there was a reception for all the 14 Ambassadors, of which 06 were female Ambassadors. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Teimuraz Janjalia and senior advisors of the President too were present. President Zourabichvili, a former diplomat herself, had informal exchange of pleasantries with the Ambassadors.
The formal bilateral meeting was held after presenting open copies of the Credentials to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Teimuraz Janjalia and other senior officials.
The discussions were focussed on intensifying bilateral engagements in post-COVID-19, noting that the two countries are completing 25 years of diplomatic relations. Convening the next round of bilateral Political Consultations in Tbilisi and expediting the signing of ending agreements/MoUs that would contribute effective bilateral cooperation and specific activities to promote economic cooperation were agreed upon. Potential for cooperation in higher education, hospitality, construction, environment and renewable energy sectors were also discussed.
Ambassador Dissanayake also called on the First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on European Integration and Chairman of the Georgia – Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Group Levan Karumidze at the Parliament. The friendship Group had been established in 2020. First Deputy Chairman Karumidze during the discussion stated that they are awaiting the establishment of the friendship group in the Sri Lankan Parliament at the earliest noting that two countries are celebrating 25 years of diplomatic relations. He further shared his thoughts on the role that can be played by such friendship groups to enhance people-to-people cooperation.
As there nearly 300 Sri Lankan students in Georgia, mostly studying medicine at the Tbilisi Medical University, Ambassador also visited the university briefly to meet the students and to discuss about issues they have and the services that the Sri Lanka Embassy in Ankara and the Office of the Hony. Consul could offer. Ambassador also met with some of the Sri Lankan community members.
Ambassador also joined a reception organized by the Hony. Consul for Sri Lanka in Georgia, together with eminent business personalities in Tbilisi and a few Sri Lankans working in Tbilisi.
Embassy of Sri Lanka
Ankara
31 May 2023
