The Government of Sri Lanka has appointed Mrs Shirley Marguerite Hopman-Aluwihare as the Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in the Ho Chi Minh City of Viet Nam. She received her Exequatur from Mr Pham Hoang Tung, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam, on 23 March 2022, in Ha Noi.
Mrs Hopman-Aluwihare is a past pupil of the Methodist College of Colombo. She possesses significant experience in the field of travel and tourism, having worked at Walkers Tours, Delmage Group etc., holding senior positions. She has been living in Ho Chi Minh City since 2008 and currently functions as the Managing Director of NetGlo Solutions Limited, Viet Nam, which is a global networking and sourcing company, with partner offices in Thailand and Australia. NetGlo is also a member of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI).
Ho Chi Minh City is the Commercial Capital of Viet Nam. It is therefore vital that a Sri Lankan representative be present in this city to promote trade, tourism, investment, people-to-people contacts etc. This timely appointment will be a catalyst for the promotional activities that are being organized by Sri Lanka, and the Sri Lankan community in Ho Chi Minh City will be able to avail basic Consular services through the new Honorary Consul.
Ms Prasadi Boomawalage, Second Secretary (Commercial) and Ms Krishanthi Ramanayake, Attaché of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Ha Noi, represented the Government of Sri Lanka at the ceremony. Ms Nguyen Thanh Huong, an expert of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam, assisted Mr Tung during the event.
