BRUSSELS, June 2019: The new Sri Lankan ambassador to Belgium and the European Union, Grace Asirwatham has commenced duties at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Brussels. She was previously State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ms. Asirwatham was accorded a warm welcome by the staff on arrival at the Embassy. Addressing the staff, she emphasized the importance of all staff members being focused on accomplishing the targets that the mission has set for 2019. In this context, she noted that the utmost priority was to further strengthen economic diplomacy with Belgium and the European Union with the objective of expanding trade and investment and promoting tourism. Ms. Asirwatham further stated that Sri Lanka attaches importance to relations with the European Union, which is Sri Lanka’s largest export destination.
Ms. Asirwatham called on the Chief of Protocol of Belgium and the Head of Protocol of the European Commission soon after her arrival in Brussels. She also called on Buddhist, Hindu, Christian and Islamic clergy to receive their blessings. Ms. Asirwatham also commenced meetings with representatives of the Sri Lankan community and Honorary Consul of Sri Lanka in Antwerp.
