November 01, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan government has initiated a recall of 16 politically appointed ambassadors and high commissioners stationed at various overseas missions, with immediate effect, Daily Mirror reported citing a Foreign Ministry source.
While the list of diplomats set to return has not been disclosed, letters of recall have reportedly already been issued.
Upon their return to Sri Lanka, effective from 1 December, each appointee will undergo a comprehensive performance evaluation.
Based on these reviews, the government will determine whether any of them will be reappointed to their diplomatic roles.
Political appointees currently represent Sri Lanka in high-profile locations, including capitals such as London, Washington, Jakarta, and Abu Dhabi.
The selection of these envoys occurred under former Presidents Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe.
In addition to ambassadorial roles, numerous junior-level political appointees, some of whom are related to prominent politicians, also serve in Sri Lankan embassies around the world.
Meanwhile, the foreign service cadre remains unfilled, with a mix of politically appointed and retired career diplomats representing Sri Lanka in several major international posts.
This reshuffle marks an effort by the government to review diplomatic effectiveness and reassess the composition of its foreign service cadre.
