Full diplomatic mission in Bahrain

Rasika Somarathna

Sri Lanka will open its first full diplomatic mission in Bahrain next month, mainly to serve the country's expatriate workers numbering over 25,000 employed in the gulf state, Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) sources said. R M A Rajakaruna has been appointed as Sri Lanka's ambassador to Bahrain.

The needs of the Lankan expatriate community in Bahrain are currently being looked after by the Sri Lankan embassy in Kuwait.

However, SLBFE sources said a full diplomatic service was needed in the country considering the large number of Lankan expatriates and the volume of the service they require.

The sources pointed out that the setting up of an embassy in Bahrain came following a request by Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera.

SLBFE chairman Amal Senalankadikara met Sri Lanka's ambassador designate to Bahrain R M A Rajakaruna to discus matters pertaining to migrant workers recently.

SLBFE sources said the opening up of a new embassy in Bahrain is the fulfillment of a long felt need by the Lankan workers who serve there.

The annual Lankan worker outflow to Bahrain is in the range of 5,000 to 6,000. In 2011, it was 5,429 and in 2012, around 4,411 Sri Lankans left for work in Bahrain.