Australia appoints new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka

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Australia
Australia appoints new High Commissioner to Sri Lanka

Colombo, 19 August 2022 (TDI): The Government of Australia with the concurrence of the Government of Sri Lanka has appointed a new High Commissioner of Australia to Sri Lanka, Paul Wesley Stephens.

The Foreign Ministry of Sri Lanka confirmed this news on Twitter on Friday.

High Commissioner Paul Wesley presented credentials to the President of Sri Lanka H.E. Ranil Wickremesinghe, on 17 August 2022 at 03.30 p.m. at the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo.

Australia-Sri Lanka Bilateral Relations

Sri Lanka and Australia share a long history of bilateral relations. They cooperate in various sectors including investment and trade, sports, education, culture, and development. Sri Lanka and Australia have similar interests in a prosperous and secure Indian Ocean region.

Both countries engage more often on a wide range of issues, from collaboration on security, economy, and development interest, to human rights and reconciliation.

Trade and investment

Australia and Sri Lanka signed the bilateral Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) 2017 to galvanize economic cooperation.

Under TIFA, the Joint Trade and Investment Committee strengthens economic cooperation, by facilitating investment and market access for people of both nations.

This makes it cheaper for Sri Lankan and Australian businesses to trade and invest with each other effectively.

Australia has supported Sri Lanka in structuring its national tourism development strategy. It has shown continued support for Sri Lankan tourism recovery and resilience.

Also Read: Australia grants aid to Sri Lanka 

People-to-people ties

Both countries have strong and enduring people-to-people contacts, that are encompassing all sectors of society — law, politics, media, science, education, sport, medicine, literature, commerce, and culture.

Human rights and Reconciliation

Australia is a long-time supporter of the Republic of Sri Lanka in its human rights and reconciliation efforts following the 26-year civil war that ended in 2009.

It encourages efforts to strengthen reconciliation, transitional justice, and human rights in Sri Lanka. Both nations also cooperate closely to counter transnational crime, including people smuggling.