SLRBC conveys gratitude to Lankan envoy in Russia for work on lifting tea ban

The Sri Lanka-Russia Business Council of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce conveys its sincere appreciation and deep gratitude to Dr. Saman Weerasinghe – Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the Russian Federation for the invaluable services rendered to the Council and the Country during his tenure of office as the Ambassador.

The Council also places on record its appreciation of the pivotal role played by Dr. Weerasinghe when a temporary ban was placed on tea imports to Russia which came into effect from December 2017, where his prompt actions and efforts reaped positive results in lifting the ban and the successful resolution of the matter within a short period of time. 

Dr. Weerasinghe facilitated the SLRBC Business Delegation to Moscow in March 2017 and created great opportunity for delegates to hold bilateral meetings with the members of the Chamber of Commerce of Industry of the Russian Federation and other Russian counterparts.

From the time of his appointment as Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Dr. Weerasinghe has been actively involved in promoting economic ties between the two countries and has been assisting members of the Business Council and members of the Sri Lankan business community in Russia at large in various matters of importance. 

In June 2013, Dr. Weerasinghe was awarded the ‘Order of Honour’ of the Russian Federation, by Russian President Vladimir Putin, upon signing a decree to decorate Dr. Weerasinghe with the said award. He is the only Sri Lankan national to be awarded the ‘Order of Honour of the Russian Federation’ and it was awarded in recognition of his contribution to develop and strengthen economic, cultural and humanitarian cooperation between Sri Lanka and Russia during the past 30 years.

He has been an active participant in the development of economic and cultural affairs between Russia and Sri Lanka in the last two decades.