New FS ready to face challenges

Newly appointed Foreign Secretary Admiral Dr. Jayanath Colombage yesterday told The Island that they had a vital role to play in post-war affairs. The first retired service Chief to hold the post of Foreign Secretary, Colombage expressed confidence in facing the challenges.

The Foreign Ministry issued the following statement yesterday afternoon after the former Navy Commander moved in earlier in the day: “Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage (PhD) assumed duties as the Secretary to the Foreign Ministry today (14 August) following the appointment to the position by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The new Foreign Secretary Admiral Colombage was warmly received by the senior officials of the Foreign Ministry this morning, upon arrival at the Ministry.

Dr. Colombage was previously Additional Secretary to the President for Foreign Relations since December 2019. In addition, he is presently serving as the Director General of the Institute of National Security Studies Sri Lanka.

Admiral Colombage has served the Sri Lanka Navy for a period of 36 years and retired as the Commander of the Navy on 01 July 2014. He is the 18th Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy and was decorated for gallantry and commended for exceptional service to the Navy.

Upon retirement from the Navy, Admiral Colombage served as the Director for Indo-Sri Lanka Initiatives and Law of the Sea Centres at the Pathfinder Foundation, which is a premier think-tank and research centre, based in Colombo. He has represented the Pathfinder Foundation and Sri Lanka in many bi-lateral, regional and international fora, presenting papers, participating in panel discussions and chairing sessions on international politics, strategic  and maritime security related fields.

Admiral Colombage has been a guest lecturer in universities and training institutes in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, China, India, Japan and Pakistan. He has also been an editor and reviewer of a number of internationally renowned academic journals.

Foreign Secretary Admiral Colombage holds a PhD from General Sir John Kotalawela University, Master of Science  in Defence and Strategic Studies from Madras University and Master of Arts in International Studies from Kings College, London.  His PhD thesis “Asymmetric Warfare at Sea; the case of Sri Lanka” has been published by Lambert Academic Publishing in Germany.  He is also a fellow of Nautical Institute of London.