The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, with concurrent accreditation to the Republic of Belarus, Shobini Gunasekera, presented Letters of Credence to the President of Belarus, Aleksandr Lukashenko, at a ceremony held at the Independence Palace in Minsk.
According to the Sri Lanka Embassy in Moscow, the ceremony brought together ten newly appointed Ambassadors from Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Ghana, Japan, North Korea, Palestine, Sri Lanka, Somalia and Tanzania who formally assumed their diplomatic functions, reflecting Belarus’ continued engagement with the international community.
The proceedings were conducted in accordance with established diplomatic protocol and marked the official commencement of the Ambassador’s duties in Belarus.
In his address to the assembled Ambassadors following the presentation of credentials, the President of Belarus underscored his government’s readiness to work closely with all countries represented. He stressed the importance of constructive dialogue, mutual respect, and collaboration in addressing global and regional challenges.
Notably, the President highlighted the longstanding educational ties between Sri Lanka and Belarus, observing that approximately one in five doctors in Sri Lanka have received their medical education in Belarus. In this regard, he encouraged the Ambassadors present to consider Belarus as a competitive and reputable destination for higher education, particularly in the field of medicine.
On the sidelines of the ceremony, Ambassador Gunasekera discussed with the Foreign Ministry officials of Belarus about proposed high-level visits, convening of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade in the latter half of 2026 and the establishment of possible regular flights between the two countries upon the signing of the proposed Air Services Agreement and further strengthening education co-operation.
Such prospective engagements are expected to further enhance bilateral relations and provide an opportunity to explore cooperation in areas such as education, trade, tourism and people-to-people exchanges.
Ambassador Gunasekera also conveyed warm greetings and best wishes of the President and the people of Sri Lanka to the President and the people of Belarus and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding and friendly relations with Belarus.
The Sri Lanka Embassy added that the presentation of Letters of Credence marks an important step in advancing diplomatic ties and further consolidating cooperation between Sri Lanka and Belarus at both bilateral and multilateral levels. (Newswire)