The government is to appoint one time Minister Milinda Moragoda, as Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner with Cabinet rank to India, Secretary to the Foreign Ministry Admiral Jayanath Colombage has told the Daily Mirror Newspaper.
This is the first time Sri Lanka is going to appoint an envoy with Cabinet rank.
Once such status is afforded, Mr. Moragoda will be able to interact with the leaders of both the countries directly without the procedure of going through the respective foreign ministries.
Former UNP MP Milinda Moragoda served as an MP between 2001 to 2010. He served as the Minister for Economic Reform, Science and Technology and Deputy Minister for Plan Implementation and Development (2002–2004) under the UNP Government. Later he served as Minister of Tourism between 2007 and 2009, and Minister of Justice and Law Reform (2009-2010) under UPFA Government after crossing over from the UNP.
Milinda Moragoda heads a think-tank called Pathfinders Foundation, which was referred as a CIA funded organisation by senior Cabinet Minister Wimal Weerawansa recently.
Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage has told Daily Mirror that Mr. Moragoda would be appointed High Commissioner with Cabinet rank because he was a person of international stature.
The post of High Commission in New Delhi has been vacant since January when Austin Fernando, who was appointed to the post in 2018, returned to Sri Lanka. (NewsWire)