Message from the High Commissioner:

The launching of a website for the High commission fulfills a long felt need. It is therefore, with much pleasure that we set up this website and thus enter the cyber world. The main endeavour is to inform and interact with the outside world. We encourage you to visit our website, as frequently as possible, and we would appreciate to have your views and observations on any issue of interest.

Shehan Ratnavale
High Commissioner


The High Commissioner - Shehan Ratnavale

Mr. Shehan Ratnavale was educated at Harrow School and obtained an Honours Degree in Law from the University of Leicester. He also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Business and Financial Administration from the Business School of the Institute of Chartered Accountants, Sri Lanka and a Post Graduate Executive Diploma in Bank Management from the Institute of Bankers of Sri Lanka.

Mr. Ratnavale has worked mainly in the Commercial Banking Sector and records exposure to other areas of private sector employment.

Mr.Ratnavale was the Centennial Year President of the Rotary Club of Colombo uptown.

Diplomatic Staff

• Mr. P. M. B. Somasiri - Minister (Commercial)
• Mr. M. R. Gunaratna - Minister Counsellor
• Miss. A. T. N. Abayajeewa - Second Secretary
• Mr. M. S. P. Gunawardena - Counsellor (Employment and Labour Welfare)
• Mr. S. R. G. N.Shantha - Attache'

Sri Lanka Singapore Relations:

Singapore and Sri Lanka are island states and share many commonalties. Both countries have not only fostered good bilateral relations but also shares similar views on many regional and global issues in the international fora.

Sri Lanka and Singapore relations began in the early 1950s, and Sri Lanka was represented by a Commissioner and an Assistant Commissioner who were based in Malaysia. Between the periods of 1962 to 1970, there was an Honorary Trade Representative who dealt with consular matters. With the establishment of formal Diplomatic relations in July 1970, Sri Lanka's Ambassador in Myanmar was concurrently accredited to Singapore. This arrangement continued till Sri Lanka established its resident High Commission in Singapore in 1979. The Singapore High Commissioner in New Delhi was concurrently accredited to Sri Lanka till H.E. Mr. Tan Kah Hoe was appointed as the High Commissioner for Singapore based in Singapore. In 1998, Singapore appointed a well-known Sri Lankan business person Deshamanya Lalith Kotelawala as the Honorary Consul-General for Singapore based in Sri Lanka.

It is interesting to note that there are many scholars from Colombo Plan holding high positions in Singapore.

Under the Singapore Technical Cooperation Programme, Sri Lankan officials have participated in various training programmes in the areas of medicine, aviation, information technology and telecommunications.

Sri Lankan professionals have in the past and in the present found fruitful employment in Singapore especially in the fields of education and health.

The number of students who are enrolled in Singaporean Universities and Technical Collages are on the increase.

There are approximately 10,000 to 15,000 workers employed in Singapore, mainly domestic helpers.

Being a free port and a regional trading hub Singapore is an important trading partner to Sri Lanka. Easy access and simplified business practices have helped Singapore to gain popularity as a reliable supply source among the Sri Lankan businessmen. The annual turnover of business between the two countries amounts to millions of dollars. Singapore exports to Sri Lanka are mainly - liquid gas, palm oil, machines, machine accessories, diesel fuel, gold, TV/video etc. whereas Sri Lanka mainly exports seafood, ceramic products, tea, garments, naphtha to Singapore. The trade balance is in favour of Singapore. Both Sri Lanka and Singapore are following market friendly trade policies and share similar views on many international trade issues.

Many Singapore companies in their phase of extending activities to overseas have identified Sri Lanka as another destination to setup their branches, manufacturing plants etc. There are also Singapore companies that have engaged in the construction industry and other infrastructure development projects. The Board of Investment of Sri Lanka extends maximum cooperation to the Singapore investors to be involved in as many business ventures as possible.