Moscow: Ambassador-designate of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation, Shobini Gunasekera, officially assumed her duties at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Moscow on February 19, 2025. This significant event coincided with the 68th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Sri Lanka and Russia.

According to Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Sri Lanka, Ambassador Gunasekera is a career diplomat with more than 27 years of experience in the field of diplomacy. Her career includes various assignments at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism of Sri Lanka, and Sri Lankan Missions abroad. During her address to the Embassy staff, she emphasized the enduring relations between the two nations and highlighted the potential to further strengthen their partnership in areas such as politics, economy, education, culture, science, and people-to-people connections. She also stressed the importance of supporting Sri Lanka’s government initiatives like poverty eradication, the digital econo
my, and the ‘Clean Sri Lanka’ initiative.

Ambassador Gunasekera’s service in the Sri Lanka Foreign Service began in 1998. She has held multiple significant positions, including Assistant Director of Economic Affairs, Deputy Director of Legal Affairs, and Acting Director General, East Asia and the Pacific, among others. Most recently, she served as Director General of Europe and North America until her current appointment.

Her diplomatic career has seen her serve as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Republic of Philippines from September 2019 to December 2022. She has also held notable positions in Sri Lankan embassies in France, Beijing, and Brussels, showcasing her extensive international experience.

Ambassador Gunasekera holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and Management and a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from the University of Colombo. Admitted to the Bar as an Attorney-at-Law in 1994, she is also an alumna of Musaeus College, Colombo.