US President Donald Trump has nominated Eric Meyer, a seasoned American diplomat and current Acting Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, to serve as the next Ambassador to Sri Lanka.
President Trump had submitted the nomination to the US Senate on July 12, US State Department sources said.
Meyer will assume the post as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Sri Lanka after the Senate confirms the appointment. Until then, he will continue to serve as the Senior Bureau Official overseeing US foreign policy in South and Central Asia — a region that includes Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and several Central Asian nations.
Meyer, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, has held senior diplomatic postings across Europe, Asia, and South America. His recent assignments include serving as Chargé d’Affaires at US missions in Norway and North Macedonia, as well as leading the only US Consulate in Central Asia, in Almaty, Kazakhstan.
In Washington, he has served in advisory roles in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs and the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. Prior to his diplomatic career, Meyer worked in the airline industry and holds degrees from the University of California, Berkeley and Georgetown University.
He is fluent in several languages including Russian, Spanish, and French, and is a recipient of multiple US State Department awards. If confirmed, Meyer will succeed the outgoing Ambassador Julie Chung and take up his role in Colombo at a time when US-Sri Lanka relations are focused on democratic governance, trade, maritime security, and regional stability. – CW
