The Commission of Appointment to Petra Winzer as the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Salzburg was handed over by the Chargé d’Affairs a.i. of Sri Lanka in Austria, Mahesh Gunawardana, recently (09), at the premises of the Honorary Consulate of Sri Lanka in Salzburg.

According to the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Vienna, Honorary Consul Petra Winzer expressed her appreciation for the honour and the trust of the Government of Sri Lanka in appointing her as the new Honorary Consul in Salzburg and committed to do her utmost to promote Sri Lanka in the economic, cultural and tourism fields.

In addition, she expressed interest in participating with her company, Bio-Nahrungsmittel, in the Sri Lanka Expo 2027, scheduled to take place in Colombo, in January 2027, while encouraging other Austrian companies located in Salzburg to participate at the Expo 2027.

She is the widow of the former Honorary Consul in Salzburg, late Christian Winzer, who was the founder of Bio-Nahrungsmittel, a company established in 1979, which is a leading company in the field of health and natural products and certified organic food, distributing in Austria, Germany, Switzerland, France, the Czech Republic, Hungary and the rest of Europe. The company imports a large number of products, including coconut chips from Sri Lanka. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka’s Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi, held talks with Michael Otter, Director General of the Austrian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (WKO), in April in Vienna, with discussions centring on strengthening bilateral trade, industrial partnerships, and technical cooperation.

The meeting, held during the Minister’s participation in the International Vienna Energy and Climate Forum (IVECF) 2026, aimed at positioning Sri Lanka as a premier destination for sustainable industrial investment and transparent economic governance.

According to the Embassy and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Vienna, during the discussions, the Minister highlighted Sri Lanka’s economic recovery and reform while stressing Sri Lanka–Austria trade, the current export

strengths to Austria, priority sectors for expanding markets, and strengthening business-to-business linkages. 

In addition to that, Minister Handunneththi briefed on the investment opportunities in Sri Lanka, indicating the nine specialized industrial zones designed to attract high‐tech investment. Both sides also discussed a strategic shift toward high‐value addition and the optimization of EU GSP+ benefits.

Director General Michael Otter welcomed these developments, highlighting a high‐level Austrian Trade Mission to Sri Lanka scheduled for mid‐September 2026 as a significant opportunity for deepened cooperation. 

In turn, Minister Handunneththi extended a formal invitation for Austrian participation in Sri Lanka Expo 2026, scheduled to take place in Colombo. The event is expected to feature over 750 exhibitors and host more than 1,500 international buyers.

The visit reflects the commitment of both nations to deepening engagement in trade and industry. Sri Lanka remains dedicated to advancing this partnership with Austria to ensure sustainable economic growth and technological advancement for both countries.

Regional Director for Asia and Oceania of the WKO, Markus Haas, and Chargé d’Affaires of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Austria, Mahesh Gunawardana, also participated in the meeting. (Newswire)

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Sri Lanka has informed the 69th General Conference of the IAEA in Vienna that the country is currently exploring nuclear power as a reliable, low-carbon energy source to diversify its energy mix and address the dual challenges of climate change and energy security.

During the Conference held from 15-19 September, Sri Lanka further informed that the country has included nuclear power as an energy source within the base case of the Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) Least Cost Long-Term Generation and Expansion Plan 2025-2044.

According to the Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Vienna, delivering the national statement of Sri Lanka at this key event of the IAEA calendar, Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the IAEA Ambassador M R K Lenagala underscored the country’s close engagement with the IAEA since joining the Agency in 1957, and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s unwavering support for the IAEA’s mission to accelerate and enlarge the contribution of atomic energy to peace, health and prosperity across the globe. 

A briefing on the progress Sri Lanka has made in the use of nuclear applications for peaceful uses was provided, including the establishment of a Cyclotron based radio pharmaceutical proton facility to support PET scanning for cancer diagnosis on an initiative by the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Board with the regulatory approvals from the Sri Lanka Atomic Energy Regulatory Board, National Medicines Regulatory Authority and Central Environmental Authority.

While appreciating the IAEA’s continued support and technical guidance towards the progress of Sri Lanka’s peaceful applications of nuclear science and technology, including through the Technical Collaboration Projects, the Ambassador outlined several key initiatives that Sri Lanka has undertaken to strengthen the country’s nuclear infrastructure. 

Reference was made to the participation of a high delegation led by the Speaker of the Sri Lanka Parliament earlier this year, in a consultative meeting with the IAEA on adherence to global nuclear security framework focused on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material and its Amendment (CPPNM), as well as to the SLAEB’s hosting of four IAEA follow-up review missions to Sri Lanka, reflecting the country’s continuous engagement with the IAEA. (Newswire)

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