Prime Minister’s Media Unit

The outgoing New Zealand High Commissioner Michael Appleton paid a farewell call on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo on Tuesday (January 2). He thanked the government for its decision to reopen its Embassy in New Zealand shortly.

He said Sri Lanka has achieved remarkable recovery to face the Covid 19 challenges and the unprecedented economic crisis. When I arrived in Sri Lanka 3 years ago, the country was reeling under the impact of Covid pandemic and I had to stay in a hotel room under quarantine. Now at the time I am leaving, the tourists are arriving in large numbers as you have managed the crisis well,” High Commissioner Appleton said. He thanked the Prime Minister for the continuous cooperation extended, first as the Foreign Minister and then as the Prime Minister during his tenure in Colombo.

The Prime Minister thanked New Zealand for providing expertise for Sri Lanka’s public sector reforms programme.

They held discussions on the bilateral relations between the two countries and the steps Sri Lanka is taking to overcome the current economic challenges, debt restructuring, trade and investment, electoral reforms.

Ambassador Appleton thanked the Prime Minister for gracing the official opening of the New Zealand High Commission in Colombo.

Mr Yadamini Gunawardena MP, Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake and New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Andrew Traveller were also present on this occasion.