16 Facts About Mahinda Samarasinghe

Mahinda Samarasinghe's Excellency Mahinda Buddhadasa Samarasinghe is a former MP and the current Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States and Mexico and High Commissioner to Trinidad and Tobago.

Mahinda Samarasinghe was formerly a member of Parliament from the Kalutara Electoral District as a member of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, and the SLPP chief organiser for the Panadura Electorate in Kalutara.

Mahinda Samarasinghe completed a Bachelor of Economics degree at La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.

Mahinda Samarasinghe has represented Sri Lanka at the International Labour Organization, World Health Organization, International Telecommunication Union and the World Meteorological Organisation.

In late 2021, Samarasinghe was appointed as Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.

Mahinda Samarasinghe acted as a member of the Advisory Committee to the Human rights task force of Sri Lanka while being the Executive member of the parliamentary group for the protection and promotion of human rights.

Mahinda Samarasinghe chaired national coordination mechanisms on human rights and humanitarian assistance during the armed conflict, from 2006 - 2009.

Mahinda Samarasinghe entered active politics in 1988 and was elected to the Provincial Council of the Western Province, where he served as the Leader of the House of the Provincial Council and the Provincial Minister of Health and Economic Infrastructure.

From 2001 to 2004, Mahinda Samarasinghe served as the Cabinet Minister of Employment and Labour and the Chief Government Whip.

Mahinda Samarasinghe joined the Sri Lanka Freedom Party in 2006 and became the Sri Lanka Freedom Party chief organiser for the Agalawatta Electorate in Kalutara District.

Mahinda Samarasinghe served as Cabinet Minister of Disaster Management and Human Rights from 2006 to 2010 and Minister of Plantation Industries from 2010 to 2015.

Mahinda Samarasinghe was a member of the Parliamentary Consultative Committees of the Ministries of Trade, Commerce, Industries, Finance and Foreign Affairs.

In 2015, under the government of then-incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena, Mahinda Samarasinghe was appointed as the State Minister for Finance.

In 2016, Mahinda Samarasinghe was selected to be the Chair of the Parliamentary Sub-Committee on Fundamental Rights, Language and Citizenship Rights, Steering Committee on Constitutional Reform.

Mahinda Samarasinghe was then appointed as the Ports and Shipping Minister in 2017.

Mahinda Samarasinghe resigned from his seat in parliament in late November 2021 to assume office as the Ambassador of Sri Lanka to the United States, Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.