A correction from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been made in response to what it describes as “misleading information circulating in the public domain that Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Sabry has spent a substantial amount of public funds while undertaking official visits overseas in the recent past.”
According to a statement from the ministry, the minister of foreign affairs makes official abroad trips as needed to represent Sri Lanka at significant global, regional, and bilateral engagements;
Given their significance and the expected level of involvement, the Foreign Minister should personally attend these meetings, conferences, and engagements;
Senior Ministry and other line agency officials are required to attend the Foreign Minister to various meetings, conferences, and engagements as necessary for substantive reasons, taking into account the need for their experience in talks and deliberations;
According to the new Treasury circulars and standards, the Foreign Ministry keeps spending to a minimum and only essential expenses are approved, according to a statement from the department.
