RIYADH, 16 August 2007 — Sri Lanka has named A.L.M. Lafir as its new consul general in Jeddah. He is scheduled to arrive early next week.
Lafir succeeds Masihudeen Inamullah, who left for Colombo on June 30 on completion of his tour of duty in the Kingdom.
Lafir, who is the present director of consular affairs at the Lankan Foreign Ministry, counts more than 14 years of experience in the island’s foreign service. He has also served in Kuwait, Canada and Abu Dhabi. Prior to his transfer to Colombo, Lafir was the deputy chief of mission at the Sri Lankan Embassy in Abu Dhabi.
A lawyer by profession, Lafir has won several awards in oratory during his career at the university and at the law college. He had served the university as the secretary of the Islamic Majlis and subsequently had also served the law college Islamic Majlis as its vice president.
Meanwhile, Sri Lankan Ambassador in Riyadh A.M.J. Sadiq is slated to leave the Kingdom tomorrow. Sadiq was ambassador in Riyadh for a period of two years and prior to his posting here, he was the country’s consul general in Jeddah.
Hussein Bhaila, deputy minister of foreign affairs, told Arab News that Sadiq would be placed as director general in a department by virtue of his ambassadorial position.
Bhaila said the idea of appointing an interim charge d’affaires has been dropped and the deputy chief of mission, W.S.M.S. Wijesundera, will act as the head of the mission till a new ambassador is appointed. Wijesundera will take charge of the mission from today.
