Sri Lanka appoints reputed businessman as the Honorary Consul to Southern part of Lower Saxony based in Hannover

Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Germany, Karunatilaka Amunugama on behalf of Hon. Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka, handed over the letter of Commission to Mr. Claus Holtmann as the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka with the jurisdiction of Southern part of Lower Saxony (South of the administrative districts of Diepholz, Verden, Rotenburg (Wumme) and Harburg), based in Hannover on Wednesday, 13^th of July 2016 at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Berlin.

Hannover, the capital of the Federal State of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen) is well known for its industrial and commercial headquarters, including the automotive supplier Continental AG, the Volkswagen Commercial vehicles, the vehicle system manufacturer WABCO, the construction equipment manufacturer Komatsu Hanomag, the Varta battery factory and the abrasive manufacturer VSM United Emery and machine factories. The food industry is represented with Bahlsen, Harry's bread and the brewers’ guild brewery and mansions brewery.

The Hannover Congress Centrum, the largest exhibition center in the world, hosts over sixty national and international trade fairs regularly, including the computer trade show CeBIT and the Hannover Fair. These fairs are attended by about two million visitors.

Mr. Claus Holtmann, the Managing Partner of Holtmann GmbH & Co.KG and the Chief Executive Officer of Expomondo S.r.L Milano, would be able to assist Sri Lanka through his expertise in the trade fair business and his connections with the industry.

With the appointment of Mr. Claus Holtmann to Hannover, Sri Lanka is well represented in all major political and business centers in Germany by its Honorary Consuls.

During this occasion Sri Lanka’s Honorary Consul to Bremen, Mr. Thomas Kriwat, Chief Executive Officer of Mercmarine Group of Companies, who has extensive business interests in Sri Lanka and Germany was also appointed to look after Bremen and the Northern Part of Lower Saxony (North of the administrative districts Neinbugr/Wesr, Heidekreis and Luneburg).

Sri Lanka Embassy
Berlin
19^th July 2016