Prime Minister of Sri Lanka

A meeting between Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena and Italian Ambassador Damiano Francovigh took place today (27.11.2023) at the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament.

New Italian Ambassador Mr. Damiano Francovigh expressed his consent to the Prime Minister Mr. Dinesh Gunawardena’s request to look into matters urgently to introduce Colombo as a direct air and shipping destination with the aim of developing tourism between Italy and Sri Lanka.

Discussions were held regarding further strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries.

On response to the Prime Minister’s request, the Ambassador said that a delegation of the Italian Trade Agencies will be sent for a di MORE >>

Ill Poya Day Dharma Sermon was delivered by, Executive Committee Member of Sri Lanka Ramanna Maha Nikaya, Chief Incumbent of Kollupitiya Sri Dharmakirthiyaramaya and Badulla Sri Gnanodaya Buddhist Centre, Ven.Dr. Bandarawela Vimaladhamma Nayake Thera. MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said there is vast potential for further expanding economic cooperation between China and Sri Lanka. “Sri Lanka highly value China’s continuous support to Sri Lanka,” he said when Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Special Envoy and State Councilor, Shen Yiqin met him at the Temple Trees Office in Colombo today (November 20).

The Prime Minister, thanking China for the assistance provided to Sri Lanka to restore economy after the recent debt crisis, added that Sri Lanka would welcome public and private investments from China as well as investments in agriculture for production and export, renewable energy, IT, education and infrastructure development to provide long term solutions to econo MORE >>

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Participation - Health Minister Dr. Ramesh Pathirana, State Ministers Sita Arambepola and Sisira Jayakodi, 17.11.2023. Temple Trees. MORE >>

Vietnam will provide its expertise on foreign investment promotion and attraction to Sri Lanka to draft the proposed new Investment Bill. This was stated by a high-level delegation headed by Vietnam Communist Party Central Committee Member Dr. Bui Van Nghiem when they called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees in Colombo today (November 17).

The Prime Minister congratulated Vietnam for the success of rapid economic development after gaining independence after a valiant freedom struggle. He praised the innovative methods adopted by Vietnam to successfully attract foreign investments and requested to share its experience with as Sri Lanka is planning to formulate a new Foreign Investment Bill shortly.
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Release of Sinhala and Tamil translation of the autobiography of Mr R I T Alles, ’My Path’ (Mage mangpetha), which unfolds events of his life was presented to newly appointed school principals and teachers. MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena asked the Sri Lankan envoys to focus mainly on economic diplomacy as the country needs the cooperation of other countries for rapid economic progress of the country.

Addressing the 10 newly appointed Sri Lankan envoys at the Temple Trees today (Nov 13), he urged them to showcase Sri Lanka’s ability to interact with the rest of the world, take new initiatives to attract investments and joint ventures.

Our focus is to increase trade and investments. While engaging with host governments and premier business houses, leading investors and chambers of commerce and industry, you have to promote Sri Lanka as an attractive destination, not merely as a tourist destination but mainl MORE >>

Hindu devotees all over the world celebrate Deepavali with great devotion and enthusiasm to mark the victory of light over spiritual darkness by lighting lamps.

The best way to display the spirit of Deepavali is to join hands for the betterment of the society and overcome the contemporary challenges faced by the country.On the day of Deepavali let us strive together for spiritual achievements while wishing for peace and prosperity by making Deepavali truly meaningful by symbolizing, “victory of light over spiritual darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance”.

Dinesh Gunawardena (M.P.)
Prime Minister
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka MORE >>

සිංහල ප්‍රශස්ති හා හටන් කාව්‍ය යටතේ මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදල මගින් ප්‍රකාශයට පත් කළ ’සීතාවක හටන’ කෘතිය අග්‍රාමාත්‍ය දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන මහතා වෙත, මධ්‍යම සංස්කෘතික අරමුදලේ අධ්‍යක්ෂ ජෙනරාල් මහාචාර්ය ගාමිණී රණසිංහ මහතා විසින් පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ අගමැති කාර්යාලයේදී 2023.11.10 දින පිළිගන්වනු ලැබි MORE >>

Latest lottery of Development Lotteries Board, “Supiri Dhana Sampatha”, was presented to Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Prime Minister’s Office in Parliament on 09.11.2023.

Secretary to the Prime Minister Anura Dissanayake, Chairman of the Development Lotteries Board /CEO Ajith Gunaratne Naragala, General Manager Anura Jayaratne, Deputy General Managers Vijitha Somaratne and Chanaka Dodangoda participated in this event. MORE >>

This commemoration ceremony was organised by Ven. Kotahene Narada Thero and Maha Sangha including Ven. Malwane Pannasara thero, Chief Incumbent of Sri Kalyani Samagri Dharma Maha Sangha Sabha of Maha Vihara Vansika Shyamopali Maha Vihara, Ven. Murutthettuve Ananda thero, Chief Sanghanayaka of Western Province, Ven. Vathuruwila Sujatha thero, and former President Maithripala Sirisena, Parliamentarians Yadamini Gunawardena and Jagath Kumara, and a group including devotees participated in this event.

Prime Minister’s Media Division MORE >>

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena held a discussion with Portuguese Ambassador Joao Manuel Mendes de Almeida on further strengthening ties between the two countries when the latter called on him at the Temple Trees on November 6.

The Prime Minister urged Portugal to consider promoting Sri Lanka as a favourable tourist destination in Portugal by introducing a programme similar to the ’Voyage to the East in the 19th Century, tracing the history from Lisbon to Goa’. He said such a promotion could be extended from Lisbon to Galle in Sri Lanka to attract tourists.

Ambassador de Almeida, recalling his visit to Galle as a tourist 20 years ago, said Sri Lanka has immense potential to attract Portuguese tour MORE >>

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Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena expressed gratitude to Venezuela for consistent support extended to Sri Lanka at UNHRC and other international forums. He said this when Venezuela Ambassador Capaya Rodriguez Gonzalez called on him at the Temple Trees on Monday (November 6).

Ambassador Ms Gonzalez said that some affluent countries have double standards while dealing with developing countries like Sri Lanka and Venezuela and stressed the need to jointly face such interference in sovereign nations.

The Prime Minister said Sri Lankan youth have great interest now in learning foreign languages and requested Venezuela to introduce an academic exchange programme so that Sri Lankan universities could obtain Spanish la MORE >>

New Ambassador of Iran Alireza Delkhosh paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees today (November 6).

The Ambassador referring to the friendship and close sociocultural ties between the two countries since ancient times, assured that he would work for further expansion of economic and cultural relationship between Iran and Sri Lanka during his diplomatic tenure.

The Prime Minister said Iran has the opportunities now to invest in new sectors such as agriculture and industrial sectors in addition to energy sector. He also thanked Iran for the support and assistance provided to Sri Lanka for the development work as well as to help early recovery from current economic problems.< MORE >>

The ’Nam 200’ (We 200) celebration organized to mark the 200th anniversary of the arrival of Indian Origin Tamil (IOT) community was held on 02. 11.2023, under the patronage of President Ranil Wickremesinghe, with the participation of Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, at Sugathadasa Stadium, Colombo.

Indian Finance Minister Mrs. Nirmala Sitharaman also participated in this event and was welcomed by more than 5000 Tamil people from the upcountry. The festival consisted of various cultural elements.

The inauguration of the project to build 10,000 houses under Indian aid in the lower part of Dimbula, Kotagala, Mount Vernon estate and the opening of a new auditorium and a computer unit at the Hatton Vo MORE >>

Indian Minister of Finance Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman called on Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena at the Temple Trees on 2nd of November 2023. The Prime Minister thanked India for the allocation of Indian Rs 824 million under the Memorandum of Understanding signed during the visit of the Finance Minister for solar electrification of religious places out of the Indian grant assistance of Indian Rs 1.0747 billion earmarked for the promotion of Buddhist ties.

Indian Finance Minister said India highly appreciates Prime Minister Gunawardena’s unstinted efforts to promote Indo-Lanka friendship and cooperation. “Decades ago when we fighting for our independence, your parents associated in Indian freedom struggle and now as Prime Mi MORE >>