SLAS senior to be HC in London, several new dpl appointments

(by Sujeeva Nivunhella in London)

Senior Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) officer and former Senior Consultant at the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), Nimal Senadheera, has been nominated as Sri Lanka’s next High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.

Senadheera, who took leave in 2023 to pursue higher studies at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, completed his Master of Science (MSc) in Public Policy in January 2024.

This is not his first tenure in the foreign service. He previously served as a Director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from June 2010 to March 2014 beforebeing posted to the Sri Lanka High Commission in Pretoria, South Africa. He held the position of Minister Counselor there before being promoted to Minister.

Senadheera’s nomination follows the recall of former High Commissioner to London, Rohitha Bogollagama. Until Senadheera officially assumes duties, Deputy High Commissioner Manori Mallikarachchi is serving as Acting High Commissioner.

Meanwhile, several other diplomatic appointments have been made by the Sri Lankan government. Maheshini Colonne has been named Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India, while former Air Force Commander Udeni Rajapakse will go as High Commissioner to South Africa.

Also, Prof. Arusha Cooray has been named as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, and Prof. Nirmala Rathnayake has been nominated as the country’s envoy to Japan. Former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has been selected as Sri Lanka’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York, while journalist Sonali Samarasinghe, widow of the late Lasantha Wickrematunge, has been nominated as Minister Counsellor to the same mission.

A former journalist from Ravaya has been nominated as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Cuba.

The new diplomatic appointments come as part of the NPP government’s efforts to revamp Sri Lanka’s foreign service and strengthen international relations.