Samoa & Sri Lanka strengthen existing relations and opportunities for cooperation

Apia, SAMOA – 01 May 2026 – H.E. Ms. Yasoja Kusalini Gunasekera presented her Letters of Credence to the Head of State of Samoa, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II at the Credentials ceremony held at the official residence of the Head of State at Vailele yesterday morning.

The ceremony accredited Her Excellency as the High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Sri Lanka to Samoa with residence in Canberra.

Samoa and Sri Lanka shared cordial relations since the establishment diplomatic ties in 2014.

During the ceremony, the High Commissioner in her remarks reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s commitment to strengthening the longstanding friendship through bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interests including tourism, climate resilience, and people- to-people ties.

Afioga Tuimalealiʻifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II reaffirmed the Government of Samoa’s commitment to strengthening the bilateral relationship and cooperation between Samoa and Sri Lanka.

He also extended appreciation to the Government of Sri Lanka’s valued participation in the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in Samoa in 2024. The Head of State stated that H.E. Gunasekera’s appointment as the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Samoa, will further strengthen existing relations and opportunities for cooperation between our two countries.

Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner, H.E. Ms. Yasoja Kusalini Gunasekera with the Head of State, Afioga Tuimalealiifano Vaaletoa Sualauvi II and Faamausili Leinafo Tuimalealiifano during the presentation of her Letters of Credence yesterday.

H.E. Ms. Yasoja Kusalini Gunasekera is currently serving as the High Commissioner for Sri Lanka based in Canberra, Australia and is concurrently accredited as the non-resident High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to a number of Pacific Island countries such as Fiji, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and now Samoa.

H.E Gunasekera is a seasoned diplomat who started her career in 1996. She served in various diplomatic missions including the Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia and High Commission in Dhaka as Head of Mission and as a Consul General in Guangzhou, China. Before her current post, she was the Additional Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms. Gunasekera holds a Bachelor of Laws with Honors from Warwick University, UK and Master of Arts in Foreign Affairs and Trade from Monash University, Australia.

The High Commissioner made courtesy calls on the Hon. Prime Minister, the Minister for Tourism and Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Samoa prior to her departure for Canberra on Friday, 1 May 2026.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs