Continuing his pre-credential courtesy meetings since his arrival in New Delhi, High Commissioner-designate of Sri Lanka to India Milinda Moragoda met several foreign High Commissioners and Ambassadors concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka with residence in New Delhi.
The High Commissioner-designate has had fruitful discussions with these concurrently- accredited Heads of Mission in further strengthening Sri Lanka’s relations with their respective countries.
High Commissioners and Ambassadors of 92 countries resident in New Delhi are concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka. These include 30 Heads of Mission from the African region, 29 Heads of Mission from Europe, 11 Heads of Mission from Central Asia and Middle East regions, seven Heads of Mission from East Asia and 15 Heads of Mission from the Americas.
High Commissioner-designate Moragoda will continue to meet with the concurrently-accredited Heads of Mission in New Delhi and engage them in a bid to advance Sri Lanka’s interests’ vis-à-vis their respective sending states. Ahmed Sule, High Commissioner, Nigeria, Reuben Gauci, High Commissioner of Malta and Hayet Talbi EP Biel, Ambassador of Tunisia met last week accordingly.
The High Commission of Sri Lanka in New Delhi functions as the main coordinating point between the concurrently accredited 92 Foreign Missions and the Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka.
All correspondence between these Missions and the Foreign Ministry passes through the High Commission, while it actively engages with the Missions covering an entire gamut of bilateral relations, which include political, economic, consular as well as cultural activities.
In particular, Sri Lanka seeks support for its candidatures and resolutions at multilateral fora, through the Heads of Mission of relevant Member States based in New Delhi.
Of the 92 concurrently accredited foreign Heads of Mission resident in New Delhi at present, 23 High Commissioners and Ambassadors who have received the Agréement of the Government of Sri Lanka are to present credentials to the President of Sri Lanka shortly.
Meanwhile, 42 countries and the European Union maintain resident Missions in Colombo.