The First Resident Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Romania Mariez Enid Madurika Joseph Weninger assumed duties at the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Bucharest on Tuesday (July 02).
According to the Sri Lankan Embassy in Bucharest, she was received on arrival at the Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest by a special representative from the Protocol Division of the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Addressing the Embassy staff, Ambassador Weninger emphasized the importance of working as a team to advance national interests and the welfare of Sri Lankans, while also enhancing the friendly relations between Sri Lanka and Romania.
Ambassador Madurika Weninger joined the Sri Lanka Foreign Service (SLFS) in 1998 and served as the Consul General of Sri Lanka in Frankfurt, Germany. Immediately before her appointment to Romania, she held the position of Additional Secretary, Ocean Affairs, Environment and Climate Change at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka.
She has also served as the Director General of Economic Affairs and Africa Affairs Divisions and Director of the Americas and Europe, Middle East and Consular Affairs Divisions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka.
Her previous diplomatic assignments included positions as Minister/Deputy Chief of Mission in the Sri Lanka Embassy in Austria and the Permanent Mission to the UN in Vienna, the United Arab Emirates as Counsellor/Head of Chancery, and as Second Secretary at the Sri Lanka Embassy and Permanent Mission in Italy.
She also served as a member of the Sri Lanka delegation to the Board of Governors Meetings of the IAEA, Vienna 2005 & 2013 to 2016 and served as a Member of the Advisory Group to the CTBTO, Vienna from 2014 to 2016.
She formerly had a successful career at the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), Independent Television Network (ITN) and the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) as a news anchor, interviewer, presenter and producer before joining the Sri Lanka Foreign Service.
Ambassador Madurika Weninger holds a Masters’ Degree in Advanced International Relations (MA) from the University of Vienna / Diplomatic Academy of Vienna. She also holds a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations from the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies (BCIS) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts (BA) from the University of Kelaniya. (Newswire)