Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of)

Sri Lanka (Democratic Socialist Republic of)

History of Relations

South Africa and the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka formally established full diplomatic relations on 12 September 1994. South Africa is represented in Sri Lanka through a resident South African High Commission in Colombo. Sri Lanka established a High Commission in Pretoria on 1 October 1997.

Diplomatic Representation

South African Representation in Sri Lanka

H E Ms R P Marks
High Commissioner Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary

*Also accredited to Maldives.

South African High Commission

Sri Lanka Representation in South Africa

H E Mr A Sirisena
High Commissioner

High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

Travel Info

Visa Requirements for South Africans

For more information, please contact the High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka in Pretoria.

Health Requirements

Immunisation against hepatitis A and B is recommended. A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from visitors coming from an infected area. The benign form of malaria is prevalent throughout Sri Lanka, except for Colombo and Nuwara Eliya. It is highly resistant to chloroquine.

For further information go to Travelers' Health.

Climate Info

Sri Lanka has a tropical climate. The lowlands are always hot, particularly from March to May. The highlands are cooler. During December and January, there is occasional frost on very high ground, e.g. Nuwara Eliya. The dry season is March to mid-May. The southwest monsoon lasts from mid-May to September and the northeast monsoon season from November to March. There are only slight seasonal variations in temperature. In Colombo - at sea level - it varies from 25 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius.

For up-to-date weather information click here.

Currency Info

The monetary unit is the Sri Lanka Rupee (LKR) (Rs).

For current exchange rates click here.

State and Official Visits / Bilateral Meetings

From Sri Lanka to South Africa:

Minister of Constitutional Affairs, Justice, Ethnic Affairs and National Integration, Prof. G.L. Peiris (March 1997)
President Kumaratunga attended NAM Summit in Durban (August 1998)
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar attended NAM Summit (August 1998)
The Executive Director of the Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute for International Relations and Strategic Studies (LKIIRSS), Mr Asanga Abeygoonesekera, visited South Africa from 7-13 May.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his delegation attended the Memorial Service in honour of former President Nelson Mandela, which took place on the 10th of December 2013.
Former Senior Minister Nimal Siripal Da Silva, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resource Management and his delegation visited South Africa from 18 to 21 February 2014 in his capacity as Special Envoy of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. During the visit, Minister Da Silva co-signed the Bilateral Air Services Agreement between South Africa and Sri Lanka with Ms Dipuo Peters, Minister of Transport of South Africa.
Mr Lakshman Wasantha Perera, the Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce of Sri Lanka visited South Africa from 22 to 24 June 2014 to participate at the Afro-Lanka Business Forum on 2 June 2014, which coincided with the Southern African International Trade Exhibition (SAITEX).

From South Africa to Sri Lanka:

President JG Zuma, accompanied by the Minister for International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO), attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in November 2013.
The Deputy President, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa, as Special Envoy of President Zuma, accompanied by Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms NC Mfeketo, visited Sri Lanka on 7-9 July 2014.
Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation, Ms NC Mfeketo visited Sri Lanka from 23 to 27 February 2015.

Bilateral Agreements

If you have any queries with regard to treaties please contact the Treaty Section of the Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO) at 012 351 1000.

Trade Info

South Africa's main exports to Sri Lanka include fresh produce, processed foods, chemicals, asbestos, paper, iron ore, copper, aluminium, and containers (for transport of goods, etc). Sri Lanka's main exports to South Africa include agricultural produce like coconuts, cashew nuts, tea, spices, activated carbon, rubber, synthetic fabrics, textiles, footwear, and kitchen/table ware.

For current information on trade statistics between South Africa and Sri Lanka, visit the website of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition of South Africa.

Interest Groups and Information

The Sri Lanka - South Africa Friendship Society
273, High Level Road
Kirillapone
Colombo 05
SRI LANKA
Tel: 0994 1 824249
Fax: 0994 1 829362